We Found Love
by TheCrimsonBlades
Summary: When Katniss volunteers for The Hunger Games in her sister Prim's place, she thinks she is just going in and trying to survive. Little does she know that love lies just around the corner, in a place where she least expects it.
1. Chapter 1

_CHAPTER ONE: AT FIRST SIGHT_

**Katniss POV**

On the floor. That's where I had found myself ending up at the end of this sparing session. Let's get real. Defeat was inevitable. Especially for someone like me. A weak, underfed girl from the slums of Panem. That's not what I called it of course. District Twelve was home. Not the nicest. Not the wealthiest. Just _home._ According to all the other districts, however, like One and Two, the outlying districts consisted of nothing but unworthy scum. I'm not going to lie. It wasn't completely false. Most of our tributes were the first to die in the Games.

But not me.

No, I'm not just saying that. No, I am not praying that I'm right. I will make it farther than the others. Possibly even win. Because I will not give up on my sister. I made a promise to Prim that I would make it home. And I intend to keep that promise.

Another fist was buried deep into my stomach just then, the wind being knocked out of me. The black-haired boy from District Five could pack in quite a punch. I believe I heard his district partner calling him Mihno. He was nicely built, but not the strongest. Not even close. Mihno pulled his arm back once more, this time aiming for my face, when his forearm was caught by one of the instructors. The middle aged man glared at Mihno warningly, pulling him off me. We were not allowed to harm the other tributes before the Games. It was grounds for disqualification. Thank the Lord for that.

I get to my feet, rubbing my stomach in pain as I walk towards where Peeta is bent over the camouflage station, painting his arm. I had seen his work in the window of the bakery back home. It was amazing how detailed it was. Not one flaw. The way he stroked his skin with the bristles of the paintbrush was intriguing. I could help but watch him in curiosity as he continues without taking notice to me.

Soon, I decide it would be best to announce my presence, not wanting to seem stalkerish. "Peeta."

His head snapped up, startled. I could see a glimpse of fear, as if the sound of my voice was not familiar, and he thought I was someone else. But as his warm blue eyes found mine, a smile spread widely across his face in recognition. "Katniss, you scared me."

"Sorry..." I bit my lip, looking at the ground in embarrassment.

Peeta laughed lightly, straightening up so he didn't seem as short. Even still, I was almost a whole head taller than him. "Don't be sorry, it's okay."

I sigh lightly, shifting my gaze back to his eyes, "Alright. So, how's training going?"

"Rather well." He slips past me, walking to the sinks to wash off his painted arms. I watch him closely, not realizing how interested I am in how he moves. Smoothly. So light it seems as though nothing bad is happening to him at this very moment. That we aren't in the Capitol. That we aren't going to be locking in an arena with 22 other kids to fight to the death. It amazed me.

I was so lost in thought that I hadn't realized he had asked me a question. "Katniss?"

"What? Huh?" I flushed, embarrassed.

He only chuckled, shaking his head. "I asked you if you've picked up that bow yet." He gestures to the metallic silver bow and rack of arrows on the far side of the training hall. I shake my head no, looking at it longingly.

"Haymitch told us we weren't supposed to."

AS I glance over at him, I see Peeta roll his eyes as he makes his way to the weight lifting station. _Guess he doesn't care what our mentor has to say, _I thought briefly. Should I follow his lead and show my skills off the rest of the tributes? Maybe if I did, they would be too scared to mess with me in the Games. That would get me a whole lot farther.

After much evaluations on the outcome of my actions, I walk confidently over to the archery section of the training hall. On my way, many pairs of eyes lift up to see me, and I am unsure why. Is it because the scum of the Games is actually going to pick up a weapon? I could see some of the Careers laughing, shaking their heads, and mumbling jokes to one another while occasionally peering my way. Presumably about yours truly. Well, I'm going to make them eat their words.

The bow was in the hands of another. A blonde girl with two fishtail braids stands poised to shoot at the target. Her fit body and healthy stature suggests that she is from a wealthier district. A Career, no doubt. Despite her look of health, her arms looked weaker than mine, suggesting that she was not fit to hold a bow. My suspicions were only confirmed when she released the arrow forward towards the awaiting target.

Missed.

I let out a brief chuckle, shaking my head. Quickly, before the girl had time to react, I snatched the bow from her unworthy hands. She let out an infuriated growl, narrowing her eyes at me. I could see a look of hatred in her emerald eyes, something that I assume was supposed to scare me. Instead, I smirked, brushing past her to pick up an arrow.

Stringing the arrow, I glance over at the blonde. "Watch and learn...bitch."

I hear a small gasp before I haphazardly launch the arrow full speed at the target. Not thinking twice about where it goes. Why? Because as expected, it hits the target with a thud, right in the center. I smirk as the girl is heard stomping off. It wasn't long before the girl was complaining to her allies of my skills. I guess they will be coming after me now. But I don't know if I should be terrified or unaffected. Who cares anyways? I'm sure I can handle a bunch of airheads on my own.

Bring it on.

* * *

**Glimmer POV**

Missed.

I just can't seem to get it right! I'm not strong enough. My aim is hopeless. Maybe I wasn't as ready as I thought I was. My father had told me to volunteer when I hit eighteen. He told me I wouldn't be prepared. Why hadn't I listened to him then? I'm only seventeen for crying out loud! The lessons this year would have helped me be more ready for the Games. I'm a fool for not listening.

But I do have one thing going for me. I was absolutely gorgeous. No doubt about it. Not to mention my threatening glares that always manage to scare people off. Surely this will get me through just fine. The Capitol people always sponsors the better looking tributes anyways, right? And, some of my allies will come in handy with getting me sponsors.

What person wouldn't want to see an amazing love story in the midst of the Hunger Games.

My thoughts were interrupted when a hand wraps around the silver bow and yanks it sharply away from me. I hoped it was the District 2 tributes messing around with me. I couldn't have been more wrong.

It was the female tribute from Twelve who took it. She wore a confident smirk of dominance across her features; her seam grey eyes boring into mine. Katniss Everdeen. The Girl on Fire.

I let out a huff of annoyance and disgust, stepping back as Katniss raises the arrow in alignment with the target nearly 30 feet in front of her. She glances over at me, her eyes watching mine as she releases the arrow, hitting the bullseye easily. How was this possible? Tributes from the outlying districts were never this skilled! Never! It didn't make sense.

You would think that someone training their entire lives for this moment would have better aim than someone from the poorest districts in Panem. Filthy mongrels who mine coal and work in fields. It just didn't make any sense to me. Sure, my weapon of choice was not included here in the Capitol, but the bow and arrow shouldn't be as difficult.

Infuriated, I swivel around, storming back to the tributes from two, four, and my district partner. They were all standing in a circle, talking about tactics for the Games. Apparently, they hadn't noticed what had happened while I was trying to train. I walk over and push the girl from 2, Clove, out of the way, moving so that I stand next to Cato, her partner. He was the leader of the Career pack this year, and I was drawn to him almost immediately. He looks over at me, his icy blue eyes peircing mine effectively.

"What?" He demands. I have to stand there for a second to gather myself as all eyes turn to me.

I take a deep breath, glancing sideways at the Girl on Fire. Who, by the way, was still shooting arrows at the targets. "It's her. That fire girl. She isn't like the rest of them."

Cato's eyes shoot up, searching the room for the girl. He looked like a hunter, stalking his prey. Dangerous and unrelenting. It took everything in me not to pounce on him and take his lips with mine._ Control, Glimmer._

It was obvious when his eyes settled on her, but his reaction wasn't as I thought. I expected anger, hate in his eyes. But I didn't see that. It softened for a moment as he watched her, almost with curiousity and amusement. His lips turned up into a smirk as his eyes stayed locked on Katniss.

It wasn't until Clove struck Cato across the cheek that he snapped out of it. "Cato, what the hell?"

He shook his head, furrowing his brows as he looked down at Clove. Again, Cato shook his head as he replied in an even tone. "Sorry, I was just...thinking."

"Of what? How we're going to drain the life from her?" Barked Marvel, laughing lightly. I couldn't help but laugh with him. Although, Cato didn't seem as amused. I didn't know what was going on with him.

He nods slightly, then he was gone.

* * *

**Cato POV**

I'm going to kill her.

Katniss Everdeen. Volunteer. Girl on Fire.

She was perfect, and I am going to kill her.

And no one will get in my way.

_**A/N**_

_**Hey! Thanks for reading my first chapter! I know it kinda sucks, but this is my first story and I'm still trying to get the hang of it. Also, I might have named the chapter what I was going to name the story, so disregard that. The title of this chapter is 'At First Sight'. I am working on chapters everyday after school, so the next chapter should be coming soon!**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N**_

_**Checking my email this morning, I was surprised at how many views I had gotten. To be quite honest, I thought my writing sucked. But, I suppose it was good enough for you guys and that makes me pretty happy. I actually wrote out the next chapter (as in this chapter) at school today. I'm pretty excited about it. **_

_**Before I continue the story, I had forgotten to throw in a disclaimer in the beginning of this story. So here it is. I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. IT ALL BELONGS TO THE AMAZING SUZANNE COLLINS.**_

_**Thanks again for reading! Enjoy! :)**_

* * *

_Chapter Two: Curiosity_

**Clove POV**

Waking up in the morning was no longer simple. I used to be able to roll out of bed nice and easy. The sun used to stream through the curtains of my lightly colored bedroom, pulling me from my dreams and into a new day. I would be in no rush to prepare myself, for lessons began at noon and I woke up at around 6:45. AM of course. My routine was of the average. Shower, get dressed for school, pack my training uniform into my backpack, have breakfast, and walk to the district square to meet up with my best friend Delia before heading to school.

Simple. Easy. 1, 2, 3.

Now, I am awoken by a shrill voice, high enough to break glass, coming from the most annoying Capitol escort in the world. Irene Massey. Lord, help her. She clearly has no idea what style is. Even for a Capitol women. Irene wears a green powdered wig, large enough to the point where I had to check to see if my fork got lost in it. A metallic green jumper is fitted perfectly to her body, showing off the curves that she is lucky enough to have. The strangest thing was her nine inch heels, which didn't seem to bother her at all. I'd die in contraptions like those.

"Up and at'em!" She yells to me, yanking the comforter off of me. Unlike most Capitol people, Irene isn't the nicest. But she acts like it when in front of many people. In this apartment, however, she has some lip.

It's easy to ignore though.

Without saying a word to her, I slip out of bed, and walk directly to the bathroom to clean up. It is clear when Irene makes her way into Cato's room, because her screams of anger are bouncing off my walls. Typical Cato Tenae. Heavy sleeper, that one. I don't know how we are going to get him to wake up in the arena.

I smirk lightly as I hear Cato's loud groan of annoyance, taking my hair out of it's high pony tail and grabbing a towel. What an interesting partner I have.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

The food. Oh, the food. It's like heaven. I've never tasted anything so good. Anything so filling. Each bite of the luxurious food sets of fireworks in my mouth. Being from the poorest district, food is scarce. A full meal is almost impossible to get together. Except for those few lucky citizens who have taken up jobs as the merchants of the district. So this was a special privilege.

Breakfast went be quickly. Food ran out so fast that I couldn't even remember what it looked like. It was kind of disappointing when the food from my plate suddenly disappeared from my plate and traveled down to my stomach. I hated staring at an empty plate. So depressing...

Once, after Peeta had finished his omelette, he turned to me and frowned. "Remember when there was an omlete sitting on my plate?"

He sighs sadly, which only causes me to giggle lightly at him. I nod as I cut a big chunk off my very own omelette. Which, by the way, took up half of my plate. It felt so vacant when the lightly browned omelette was gone. "Good times."

Even Haymitch, our drunken mentor, laughed at this. Even with his riches, he struggled like the rest of us. Maybe not as much, but he still had some trouble. For being from a small district with little to eat, food was extremely limited. And when we receive it, we can't get enough.

...

We are escorted to the crystal elevator, where we await to reach the training hall. I love to ride this elevator, for some reason. The speed made me want to laugh. Made me want to beg Haymitch to let us do it again. It made me feel like a kid. Which was an excellent feeling, because that helped me forget where I am. Ugh. The Capitol.

I didn't want to be here. Of course, I'm sure none of us did. Maybe the tributes from 1, 2, and 4, but other than that? Get real. The rest of us did not get the training that they got. Years of going to a special academy just for the Games. Just to go in and make it out alive. But that wasn't the real prize. At least, that's what Haymitch said. He had told Peeta and I that going in to the Games was more of an honor for them. And that their reward for coming out alive was how it makes their home district proud. Proud to call him/her their citizen. Their new victor.

Quite frankly, this makes me sick.

It almost seems as though they _want _their children to be sent off the an unfamiliar area to be hunted by other kids. Although, their children most likely were the hunters instead of the hunted.

This occupied my mind the entire way down to the ground floor of the Tribute Center, not paying attention to anyone or anything as thought consumed me. I hadn't even noticed when the elevator doors opened to the giant training hall. It was Peeta who pushed me back into reality when he grabbed my arm and pulled me gently out into the room.

When I finally looked up, I saw the tributes standing beside their district partner in a large circle around the head instructor, Atala. It showed immediately that they were waiting to start. They had been waiting for _us. _We were late to training. Again.

"Shit." I mumbled as I make my way towards the others awkwardly, Peeta at my side.

* * *

**Cato POV**

A complete waste of time. That's what this was. Clove and I had been waiting for an hour for the rest of the contestants to arrive. We were first, then 1, 5, 6, and 4, followed by 7, 9, 3, 10, and 11 in that order. All that was left was District 12. The rats from the slum. They must be up in their apartment pigging out. Figures. The scrawniest kids always fill up with food before the Games begin.

As for me? Ha. Trust me, food is the least of my worries.

All of us have been standing here for nearly 10 minutes, waiting for the remaining pair. Atala was clearly nervous. She had a worried look plastered across her face as she glanced up at the Gamemakers. It was obvious that if they get behind schedule, she will be removed from the Tribute Center. I wasn't the least bit concerned with her job. I just want to get this show on the road. I want to get training.

Beside me, Clove huffs, probably agitated with the absent partners. She is always on a strict schedule, and hates it when something is delayed due to others. I would honestly hate to be them. They will more likely receives a worse death. That is, if Clove manages to get to them before I do. Because they are my kill. Both of them. So good luck to you, Clove, if you plan on trying.

Just when Seneca Crane gestures for Atala to come up to the balcony where the Gamemakers sit, the two walk through the elevator doors. They look like they hadn't expected everyone to be here. The boy seemed less phased than the Girl on Fire. Her expression brings a smirk to my features. She was shocked, her face was redder than I had ever seen before. Embarrassed. That's what I could see as she moved towards us not so smoothly, her district partner holding tight to her arm as he guided her to where they would stand.

I could see something interesting in the boy's eyes. Softness, the most sincere look I've ever seen. And it disgusted me. If I didn't know any better, I'd the blonde boy had a thing for his partner. Well, this game just got a little more fun.

"Alright, now that we are present, we will proceed with the itinerary for today's training. You must attend at least one of the survival stations. Do not ignore these. It is vital that you learn just exactly how to survive, without the use of weapons." With this, we are dismissed to train on our own.

I shoot Fire Girl one last murderous glare before turning away to the hand-on-hand combat training. There was no way I was going to those sissy survival stations. I learned all about that in school. That's useless information now.

Apparently, the other Careers feel this way as well, because they all walked to their respected stations. Marvel at spear, Clove at the knife-throwing (of course), Glimmer... trying to conquer the bow and arrow again to no avail, and me to the hand-to-hand combat. As I said before. District One wasn't very useful this year, and I have yet to see what District Four can do. But Clove and I will make a pretty good team, I know that for sure.

Standing at the mat across from the instructor, I crack my knuckles loudly, staring down my prey. My tactics always seemed to work, just because I have always been intimidating. The instructor watches me curiously as I sink down into a position to be prepared to spring forward. I stay in my stance, focused on my goal. There was only one word I needed to motivate me. _Win. _Failure is not an option. Only winning. If someone manages to defeat me, my reputation would plummet miserably. All I have worked for would have been for nothing.

So as soon as the whistle blows, I am racing toward the smaller man with such speed that he didn't have time to get out of the way. I hit him hard, right in the gut. His breath is knocked out of him as I slam him hard on the floor, moving to pin him down. But the man slips out from under me before I can hold him down. I growl under my breath, standing up and quickly turning to face him. The instructor blocks a blow I throw to his side cleverly, but isn't fast enough to block the next one I swing to his jaw. He grunts in pain and stumbles back a few steps. While he tries to regain his balance, I wrap my large hand around his throat. It was too easy. I throw him to the ground effortlessly, and hear his head it the ground with a thud. I pin him to the mat, and suddenly the whistle is blowing again.

My victim is declared dead. I win, as always.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I am tying off a knot when I hear a loud crash on the ground not too far from where I sit. My head snaps up in time to see the massive boy from District Two mercilessly pounding into one of the instructors. Honestly, I'm surprised they hadn't stopped him from getting too hard on the instructor. But, this is what he signed up for. His own fault.

The whistle blows just as the boy raises him arm back as if to hit him again. I watch curiously as his leaps off of the instructor and pounds his fists on his chest triumphantly. The large boy yells out, and his allies come immediately to congratulate him. It was a pretty big deal to be able to win so easily. Especially if you win against a trained professional. So for this Career, it only shows farther that he is determined to win this one. But I refuse to believe that he will. Because I need to get home.

I hadn't noticed I was staring until the boy's icy blue eyes met mine. They were cold, deadly even. They sent a tremble down my spine. But I couldn't stop watching him. I was frozen completely. Like his eyes were holding me in place. Then I realized that he saw me as a coward at this point, and I wasn't going to allow that to happen. With a burst of confidence, I stand up, and stare him down with equal intensity, trying to mimic his cold glare. And it seemed to work.

He arched a brow, looking at me as if I had just done something insane. And maybe I had.

When he turns away, I feel a pang of regret hit. Perhaps that wasn't the best idea. Most likely, he now sees me as an obvious threat. He will be after me first. Then what happens? I will die slowly under his blade.

Curiosity might just have blown out the flame of the Girl on Fire.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**This chapter was hard to focus on. I was listening to some really old music by artists like Aly and AJ, Hilary Duff, etc. Long story short, I spent just about an hour and a half on each POV of this chapter. Okay, hopefully, the next chapter should be up by Sunday. Working hard on it! If you ever have any suggestions, feel free to tell me. I will do my best to apply them and make the story better for you guys. Don't want to disappoint. Thanks for reading!**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N**_

_**Thank you all so much for the amazing reviews! I'm starting to feel really good about this story! All yesterday, I worked on this chapter in the Notes on my phone while reading the reviews. I have decided to take up a few suggestions some of you came up with. Really good ideas! Can't wait to get this story rolling! Sorry the first two chapters were kind of short. I was trying my best to get into the story before putting too much thought into it. I tried to make this one longer. !**_

_**I Am District 12's Diamond - WOW! I can't believe you made that picture. I love it so much. When I saw it I just had to use it. It is sooo good! So I hope this story works well with your amazing edit!**_

_**TheCrimsonPen - I think a mixture of both. I don't want him to soften up too much because...well, it's Cato. He's too vicious for that. But I am probably just going to go with the flow and see how it goes. **_

_**Okay, enjoy chapter 3!**_

* * *

_Chapter Three: Ignited_

**Katniss POV**

Cinna is a genius. An absolute genius. I couldn't understand how he was capable of making something as flamboyant and marvelous as the dress I wore at this very moment. Something about it really captured the essence that is Katniss Everdeen. I am an independent, confident, and determined girl on my own. But Cinna gives me one aspect that I had been missing from the start.

Cinna gives me hope.

Hope for the future. Of my life and of others. He shows me that my difference from others can change the lives of many. Cinna's designs make me feel safe, for some reason. They catch the Capitol's eye. Well, he tells me that it isn't the costumes that helps me stand out. It is me. The fabulous dresses are just a bonus to him. I don't know if I believe that yet. Because it is was the chariot costume that made the Capitol citizens go crazy for the Girl on Fire. That is what is earning me sponsors. And the dress I wear now will do the same. As Haymitch says, that could just save my life.

The thought of getting out alive warms my heart.

I want more than anything in the world to hold Prim in my arms again. To see her bright blue eyes light up when I walk into the room. I want to hear her hushed whispers at night, when she described the horrible nightmare that she experienced, and then asks me to sing to her. Just like I did with my father before he died.

I remember when I tried to teach her how to hunt. Just in case something were to happen to me. As I aimed for a small squirrel running up a tree, she had cried softly, begging me not to hurt it. After that, it took me forever to get her back into the forest. I settled on teaching her to collect edible plants, giving her the the book I had made with my father when I was young. At least now she knows how to get her hands on something to eat.

Thinking about what life would be like for Prim and my mother is I die hurts. I won't be there to provide food anymore, and they'll almost have to fend for themselves. Well, there is Gale. He did promise he would care for them. But what if he gets caught? They will starve or worse. They won't make it. But I refuse to think like that. I have to stop. I am going to win, and then there will be enough money to feed the family easily.

Right?

My thoughts are interrupted when Cinna claps his hands together in excitement. He has applied the finishing touch to the dress, and steps back to admire it in all it's glory. A bright smile is plastered across his dark features, signifying that it looks perfect.

Excited myself, I turn to the mirror to examine it. I almost gasp at the beauty of the girl in front of me. She wears a floor length strapless black dress, which is patterned with glimmers of gems, brilliantly made into the bodice of the fitted dress. A silver ribbon is tied around her waist, pulled into a beautiful bow in the back. Her hair also flickers with small jewels that are planted in it's loosely curled style, casting a dark brown drape down her shoulders, which hides most of the revealed skin. She was beautiful. I stare at the girl, and she stares back at me, her grey eyes boring into mine.

"What do you think?" Cinna asks from behind me, hope in his voice.

I smile, watching who I assume to me myself in the mirror. "It's gorgeous, Cinna. Thank you."

He chuckles, walking up beside me and running his dark eyes over my dress intently. It was obvious that he was proud of his work.

"No thanks necessary."

I laugh, turning to face my stylist. He is much shorter than me, now that I am wearing these ridiculously tall heels. I almost regret allowing him to put them on me.

Then a thought occurred to me. I may look pretty, but will the Capitol even like me? I'm not exactly the easiest person to get along with. Even Haymitch says I'm not good at making friends. It takes forever to get someone to like me as a person.

As always, Cinna reads my mind and places his hands on my shoulders in a supportive way. "You'll do great, Katniss. Just be yourself."

"But what if they don't like the real me?" I frown, averting my eyes to somewhere else in the room.

Cinna shakes his head, smiling lighting. "They will. Trust me."

And I could trust him. Cinna has been my only real friend here in the Capitol. In the few days that I'd known him, he'd done more to help me than Gale or Madge did in a month. He is the only one here who truly understands me.

I nod, a worried look still painted onto my face. "Alright."

"Look for me in the audience. Pretend it's just you and me, like it is now. And remember, be yourself. They'll love you."

...

Before I know it, I'm being ushered down a long corridor, full of the 23 other contestants in this years Games. I am shown to where Peeta sits, looking amongst the others worriedly. He wears a similar outfit. A black suit with gems on the sleeves. Whenever he moves, they seem to engulf him in flames.

I guess it would seem unfair to continue on with the 'Girl on Fire' bit when Peeta was very much on fire as well.

Sitting down beside him, I smile, laying a hand on his forearm. "Peeta, hey."

Peeta turns his head to face me, already smiling. Probably because this time he actually knew it was me. "Hey Katniss. Wow... Look at you..."

His eyes go wide, admiring my interview dress. I shove him, blushing lightly. "Oh shut up. You look rather snazzy as well."

Silence falls between us as we both let our eyes wander from tribute to tribute. Some catch my eyes more than others.

The girl from District One, Glimmer, seems to be going for a more sexy approach as he wears an almost see through white dress. It stops a quarter down her thigh, with the v-neck scooping down low on her chest. It didn't leave much too the imagination. And surprise surprise, no bra underneath. I roll my eyes, removing my gaze from the under dressed Career and looking to another.

Clove, the District Two female, wears a gorgeous strapless dress of different shades of orange. The top is extremely fitted, making her look almost anorexic. From the waist down, the dress falls in ruffles to the floor; however, the front only comes to her mid-thigh, leaving a nice view of her legs. Something for male sponsors to look at. Good thinking on her stylist's part.

Suddenly, I am watching her district partner, who I recently learned his name to be Cato. The one who insisted I join the Career pack only yesterday.

_After the day before, when I proved my worth with the bow and arrow, I decided it would be best to follow what Peeta was doing. I showed off my skill whenever possible._

_In the end, it was worth it._

_I received loads of attention from the Gamemakers and the other tributes. Every time I stepped in front of a target, it felt as though hundreds of pairs of eyes were glued to my back. The tributes weren't as important at this moment. Of course, it was nice to be able to frighten them a little, but that wasn't my primary goal. _

_It was Seneca Crane who I tried to get attention from. He is the Head Gamemaker. In charge of the entire thing. He can kill you with the flip of a switch, and save your life with another. I had to get him on my side. I know being the Head, he has to be unbiased and not take favor to any one tribute, but it was worth a shot. He was most likely not to harm me if he liked me._

_So I decided to work on some other skills that could be very useful in arena. Walking to the rope climbing station, I try to put on a confident look, not wanting to seem nervous. But I am. Those ropes aren't too stable. Peeta fell off of them earlier today, and it looked like it hurt a lot. I couldn't let that get to me, though. Now isn't the time to be a wimp._

_Standing at the base of the thick netted ropes, I take in a deep breath, thinking through how I was going to do it. I can't apply too much weight to one side, the rope would only flip over. And I'd have to move fast. There would be no time for hesitation in the Games. Might as well practice that now._

_Without any further thought, I launch myself forward onto the ropes, looking up at my target: the strong elastic netting running about 20 ft below the ceiling. I move quicker than I thought, placing my hands and feet in places necessary to balance out my weight. _

_Climbing trees back in the woods of District Twelve must have helped. _

_I was up in the top netting in less than 15 seconds. Which made me pretty happy. This meant I would be able to escape the grasp of the Careers by scrambling up the nearest tree. That is, if they can't climb. It looks as though they wouldn't, though. Pretty boy down there would be too heavy to pull himself up, the blonde chick seemed too preppy to want to do something like that, and the others I wasn't too sure about. Maybe they would. But I shouldn't worry about that at this moment. _

_Standing up, I place my feet at the intersections of the very wide and strong elastics, trying not to let my legs slip through the square holes. Once I gained my balance, I jumped around the netting, working my way to the wall. A line of sliver bars were bolted to the walls, allowing a way down to the ground level._

_"Hey Fire Girl!" An unfamiliar voice echoes through the room, startling me. I lose my balance, falling onto the netting face first. Luckily, the elastics were wide enough to keep me up. _

_I let out a huff of annoyance, looking through the holes to see who called for me._

_Much to my surprise, it was the male Career from District Two. The blonde haired boy who had been staring me down the day before. I arch a brow curiously, otherwise not saying a word._

_"Why don't you come down? I got a proposition for you." He gestures towards the ground, trying to get me to come. _

_Of course, I didn't want to talk to him. He was the leader of the Career pack. An extreme threat to me. But it could be something important. Something that I would want to hear. I doubt he would even look at me if it wasn't. _

_Reluctantly, I get to my feet once again and bound towards the bars. Before I know it, I'm walking towards the massive blonde boy, who wears an intimidating smirk across his features. Up close, he is huge. And I mean HUGE. Larger than any guy I'd ever seen. Back in Twelve, all the men were tall, but skinny from lack of sustenance. But this boy, he scared me by just existing. That's bad, right?_

_The boy chuckles darkly as he spots the horror written all over my face. Crap. I immediately cover it up with a long of annoyance._

_"I'm Cato. District Two." He holds out a hand in greeting, smirking. _

_"No need to introduce yourself," Cato states as I cautiously slide my hand into his, "I know how you are. Pleasure to meet you, Katniss."_

_Nothing about his expression was welcoming. It was completely blank of all emotion as he shook my hand. _

_Just as quickly as he held out his hand, he withdrew it. It's like he never really wanted to lay a hand on me. I don't blame him. _

_I roll my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "What do you want, _Cato_?"_

_At the sound of his name, he lets out another chuckle, shaking his head. "I just have a simple... request."_

_Cato seemed to have trouble looking for the right word as he spoke. Which made me worry in a strange way. What if his request way something only the Careers would do? Something he know I won't like? _

_Instead of answering, I just raise my brows, as if to tell him to continue._

_The large boy begins to walk a circle around me, his cold blue eyes never finding me in particular. His hands are clasped behind his back as he walks, taking his sweet time before talking once again._

_"It has come to my attention, that you are rather skilled with weaponry. Had any training in your past years?" His question is easily answered, but if I say '__yes', then I would put my family in danger. I couldn't afford for that to happen._

_"No." _

_He nods, acknowledging my answer. Cato seems to run it through his head, figuring out how to respond. "I see. Well. Your skill is magnificent. Better than one of us in the Career alliance."_

_I immediately know that he is speaking about the blonde haired female from One, named Glimmer. I smirked lightly at the memory of her horrible aim._

_"Anyways, let's get to the point." He stops moving, and turns to look me straight in the eye. His icy eyes cause a shiver to run down my spine._

_"I want you in the alliance."_

I ended up saying yes, after like... an hour of thinking. Being in the Career pack meant I had a better chance at survival. So, I might just survive the Games after all.

...

"Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire!" Caesar Flickerman finally calls my name after the other 22 tributes had their turn on the stage.

I take a deep breath, then cautiously ascend the clear stairs and step into view of the entire nation of Panem. Here goes nothing.

* * *

**Cato POV**

"Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire!" I grit my teeth at the name, my fists clenching together in fury.

That girl was good. Too good.

She had received an eleven in training scores. An _eleven_! She outscored us all. She outscored _me._

I was supposed to be the one with that eleven. Not her. I didn't think she was that talented. There was no possible way that good aim could defeat my strength and agility. I was skilled with every weapon known to man kind! This is absolutely ridiculous!

_Girl on Fire. _Pfft.

Her stylist is really pushing this isn't he? I doubt a little fire is going to change anything. The girl is still going to die. And it will be under my sword.

I mean, that was the whole reason I allowed her into the alliance! This will make it so much easier to kill her. She won't be running away all the time. All I have to do is get her to trust us. Make her believe that we won't hurt her.

Until the end, that is. And then, Katniss Everdeen will die and slow and painful death.

But for now, I have to put up with that overly confident piece of filth from Twelve. Her annoying attitude and the way she rolls her eyes at every freaking thing I say. I can't wait to watch the life drain from those grey eyes. It will almost be too fun.

Of course, I'm not just doing this for me. I am doing this for my district. For once, I want to make them proud instead of angry. And this is how I plan on doing it. Even if I get killed in the final two, the amount of entertaining slaughters I perform will definitely make Two happy.

I look up at the screen in time to see the fire girl twirling in circles, her dress ignited in flames up to her waist. She was smiling, giggling even. The dress looked like it was going to kill her right then. Burn her to death. And yet she just kept spinning as if nothing was wrong.

Beside me, Clove was laughing her full head off at the display of childishness, and as for me? I was disgusted.

Katniss Everdeen has outshined us again with her damn fire.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**This chapter was going to be longer, but I felt like this was an appropriate place to end it. Well, I suppose chapter four will be posted either Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. I write as soon as I get home and work for about an hour, so I should have it up quickly.**_

_**Ask any questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability. I am also still taking suggestions. If you have an idea for the next chapter, tell me and I will take it into consideration! Thanks!**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N**_

_**Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Some of the suggestions you sent in are absolutely awesome! I love all of them, and am probably going to find a way to incorporate all of them. It probably make this story a thousand times better! Okay, so I am trying extra hard to make my chapters gradually longer, but sometimes I find an awesome place to end it. But I'll fix that no problem. Also, I am fast forwarding to the Games, because that is the primary setting for this story. If one suggestion was meant for training, it will be put into the arena. Don't doubt, I have my ways. ;)**_

_**Here is the next chapter! Enjoy!**_

* * *

_Chapter Four: Crimson Blades_

**Cato POV**

60.

59.

58.

The countdown begins. I stand on my silver pedestal, poised to sprint at a moments notice.

57.

56.

55.

The sun beats down on my back, scorching my skin through two layers of clothing. Within seconds I am sweating.

54.

53.

52.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus. Concentrate.

51.

50.

49.

I glance to my right. The girl from five stands there, looking over the other tributes. She is alert, cautious of her surroundings. Looks as if she'll be difficult to catch.

48.

47.

46.

To my left is Glimmer, who is unsurprisingly watching yours truly. I shoot her a death glare, as if to tell her to take this seriously. Luckily, she gets the message, and removes her eyes from me.

45.

44.

43.

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. _You have trained years for this moment, _I think to myself, _don't mess up._

Three words run through my head as it comes down to the last three seconds.

_Kill them all._

* * *

**Katniss POV**

3.

2.

1.

The gong blares out across the arena. All at once, the tributes launch themselves towards the large golden Cornucopia in attempt to snatch up a pack of supplies and a useful weapon. From the very beginning, I had my eyes set on the beautiful bow and sheath of arrows. And I was determined to get it.

From what I could see, others were randomly grabbing at the first weapon they saw. With this, I knew I had to be quick. I couldn't let anyone get their hands on my bow, especially since there was only one available.

Blood curdling screams echoed through the open air as the first kill was made. I didn't know who it was, and I didn't have time to find out. The last thing I needed was a knife in my back.

The ground between me and the bow was gradually decreasing, giving me a spark of hope. As soon as I had it in my possession, I'd be able to help my new allies finish the bloodbath. And yes, that would mean I would have to put an arrow through a few bodies. But how else was I supposed to live?

As I ran, I skillfully dodged a few hatchets being flung around aimlessly, and leap over the bodies of fallen children. It wasn't a pretty sight to me. However, there was nothing I could possibly do to stop it.

My eyes flit to a boy, maybe a year younger than me, heading towards the bow. He heads towards _my_ bow. If he gets there first, I'm screwed. But I refuse to let that happen.

I gain speed immediately, focused on my goal. I try to block out the sounds of metal coming in contact with the soft flesh of innocent kids, the shrill cries for mercy, the victorious laughs. It was nearly impossible to concentrate on my goal. But I managed to set my eyes upon the metallic silver bow and sheath of arrows, and the boy who was just about as close as me.

I reached them mere seconds before the boy did. At this moment, time seemed to slow down. The boy looked enraged, his nostrils flaring with effort for speed, and determination for success. I knew what I had to do.

Kill or be killed.

Without time to use the actual bow, I quickly grabbed an arrow from the sheath and threw myself onto the smaller boy. I hit him hard, and even I stopped breathing for a second there. But this was no time to catch my breath. I held him down as he squirmed underneath me, his eyes full of fear. Raising the arrow, I frowned, not wanting to end his life so quickly. But I'd rather him die fast than slow and painfully in Clove's way.

Right before I slammed the arrow down, I mouthed a quick apology to him, and he seemed to calm just a little. At least he knew I wasn't like the Careers.

The arrow pierced his heart, and a canon went off immediately.

I watched as the life was drained from his eyes, mentally slapping myself for having done something so horrible.

But I had no choice.

Just at that moment, I remembered were I was. The Cornucopia. The bloodbath was still occurring.

I wrenched the arrow from the boy's body, sliding it back into the sheath and slinging it over my shoulder. I had no time to waste.

Knives were being thrown to and fro, each finding their mark. Tributes crumpled to the ground instantly.

I knew I didn't have to worry about Clove, because she was well aware of our alliance, but I couldn't help but flinch when another whizzed by my face.

Looking around, I could see the other Careers upon the most useless tributes in the arena. Glimmer held a cross bow, and used it well, at least better than she was with the bow and arrow. Marvel clutched his spear tightly, towering over the girl from 3, who was trying desperately to get away. Cato was slashing the nearest tribute in the chest; the tribute happening to be the boy from four, Frasier, our ally. Frasier's partner, Caterina, was no where to be found.

I take a deep breath, stringing an arrow and holding up my bow. I had no intention of killing another, but I would if I had to. If one of my allies were in trouble.

So for the most part, I stood back and scoped out the area.

Most tributes that had originally came to get a useful weapon were either dead or retreating. The ones alive settled for the nearest pack and made a hasty retreat for the trees. It wasn't long before it was only the Careers.

A sudden thought crossed my mind. What about Peeta? Was he okay?

I think I had seen him run immediately to the woods, but what happened past there is completely unknown to me. Hopefully he was alright. I would hate for him to go down so fast.

Suddenly, Caterina was with us after having missed a fairly important moment.

"I was scoping out the areas right past the tree line, attacking the tributes who were trying to escape." She told Cato, assuring him that she didn't just hide away like a coward.

Cato scowled as he finished off a girl who had apparently still been alive. "Did you get anyone?"

She nods, looking around at the scene before her. "The boys from 6 and 9, and the girl from 10."

At this, the leader nods in approval, turning from the lesser girl and walking towards the bulk of the supplies. I watches his movements intently, like I had with Peeta before. I have learned that a person's stature shows their emotion. Normally, I could pick up on it easily, but not with Cato. It was with much difficulty.

He stood up straight and tall. Pride.

His stride was long, yet swift. Determined.

A fist was clenched tightly around the handle of his sword. Anger.

At whom, I didn't know. But I probably shouldn't ask. If I want to live, it would be in my best interest to leave him be.

Following his lead, I begin to scope out the area, collecting useful supplies and weapons. Most of the packs were gone, having being taken by the remaining tributes. Some were still held by the bodies of the dead children.

Without thinking, I snatch up a few packs and load up with a few knives. I find a blow gun in the corner of the Cornucopia and grab that too, not knowing when or if I will run out of arrows. So I better teach myself how to use this thing.

"Grab as much as you can and let's get going before these bodies start stinking." Cato instructs as he stuffs a large bag with all kinds of weapons.

I nod, sliding the blow gun over my shoulder next to the quiver of arrows, and place the darts my pack. I also make sure to hide the few pocket knives in my boots, trying to keep them from Clove's sight. Hopefully I'll be able to keep these extra weapons.

Being an outsider in the Career pack, it would be wise to keep extra weapons on my at all times. Otherwise, I just might end up dead. I'd have to be on high alert. After all, they could have this evil plan cooked up. I don't know what to expect.

I let all the others go ahead of me, trailing behind Marvel. As I try not to come too close, I allow my thoughts to wander, not paying much attention to my surroundings.

All of the sudden, I was back home. The trees towered over me like a skyscraper, allowing an umbrella of shade, and the strong scent of honeysuckle filled the air. It was peaceful. Quiet. There was no one but me, walking with a homemade bow through the hushed woods. An animal learking nearby, large and powerful, a slight spring in it's step. My breaths grew soft as my movements ceased to exist. My bow raised level to my face, I close my eyes, releasing a long and slow breath. Within one swift move, the animal has dropped.

"What the heck?!" A startled voice jolted me from my memory.

I was unaware of one thing however. This had not been happening in my head as I had thought.

And instead of an animal, I had targeted a person. Crap.

My arrow had hit a tree, right next to Clove's head. And she looked mad. Infuriated. Outraged. But it was kind of funny.

Her face grew bright red as I walked towards the large oak tree to get my arrow. "What did you do that for?! You could have killed me!"

I snickered, wrenching the sharp metal out of the thick wood. I could think of so many excuses I could give to get out of this easily, but that didn't seem like it would be too much fun. So instead, I slide my arrow back into the quiver and turn to the raging District Two Career.

"Then I guess I missed." This earned a high pitched laugh from Glimmer, which honestly didn't matter. She wasn't a big competitor, so befriending her wasn't a necessity.

I was more determined to get Clove on my side. If she was my friend, I'd probably get a little farther in the Game. However, I'm not off to a real good start...

The much smaller girl growls, turning sharply and storming away. The rest of us stood there for a moment, watching her go off like a fire cracker as she walked swiftly. I could see the others shaking their head in disapproval.

Cato looks back to me, eyes emotionless. But his movements were sharp as he made his way over to me. It was obvious that he was not impressed by my actions or my words. And his words only proved that.

"You make another move like that, and I will break you."

Chills run down my spine in a shockwave as Cato glares at me coldly. His blue eyes stood out prominently against his blood splattered skin, making him look deadly and

Even when he had his back to me and was already a few yards ahead of me, I was frozen in fear. There was no doubt that he scares the living hell out of me.

Maybe I should have declined his request..

* * *

**Cato POV**

We hit a clearing a few minutes later. It was pretty large, over 100 yards between the tree lines. There was a lake as well, perfect for drinking water.

A nice place to set up camp.

I assign each of my allies with a job they are to complete. Clove and Marvel are sent to gather fire wood and fill plenty of water bottles. Glimmer was put in charge of pitching tents, which she complained about the entire time. That was rather entertaining. Caterina was to sort out all of the food depending on the type (fruit, vegetable, grain, etc.). It was a rather useless job, but it gave her something to do.

Fire Girl... I didn't even know where she is.

And that is a big problem for me.

Without giving much thought to it, I continue my own job. Sharpening my blades. If she isn't back within 30 minutes, I'll go searching for her, but not to get my ally back. No. If I find her, I will slaughter her.

That is, if she doesn't come back.

I planned on going hunting soon. And I mean really soon. I don't want it to be too dark when I am looking for stray tributes. Yes, it is simple to kill in the night, when they are sleeping... but that's not very fun at all. I like the chase. Adrenaline pumping through my veins as I gain ground in pursuit of another. The feeling of pure power when I catch my target. My sword slicing through skin as easy as cutting through butter. The pleading. Seeing the life being sucked from the weak being before me. Death by my crimson blade.

It's all better in daylight. When I can see it all happening in front of me.

"Cato, your hand is bleeding." My head snaps up at the sound of a familiar voice. Clove. She is smirking as she drops an armful of firewood in the middle of camp.

My hand?

I look back down to my hand, the one that had been holding the rock I was sharpening my sword on. I must have cut myself by mistake. Can't believe I didn't feel that...

Chuckling, I set my things down and walk to the lake to clean off my bloodied hand. Clove follows, carrying the pack of first aid supplies. She was always so attentive. I didn't understand why she cared so much about a little cut to want to wrap it up. It's not like this was going to kill me.

She sits down, taking out some antiseptic and a few bandages. It wasn't the fancy Capitol medicine like the stuff at home, but it was useful enough.

After I washed all the blood off, Clove takes my hand and disinfects it, not looking up at me. "Daydreaming about murder again big boy?"

She smirks again, and I can't help but chuckle in return. "Just a little bit."

Before I know it, my hand is all wrapped up and ready to go. It hurt like hell, but it wasn't deep enough to do any damage. Luckily, it was on my non-dominant hand, so I won't be needing it.

Standing up, I glance around the camp to look at our progress. Glimmer was still struggling to put up a tent, which was kind of pathetic. Looks like little miss Barbie wasn't designed to be an outdoor toy. Marvel was adding iodine to the water bottles, being careful not to put in more than a drop in each. Both Caterina and Clove sat lazily next to the big stack of fire wood looking bored as ever.

And Fire Girl was still no where to be found.

Even though she still had about 13 minutes to go, I wasn't about to wait. So I suppose I'd have to go searching for her. Ready or not, here I come.

...

I walk briskly through the trees, sword clutched in my hand.

Does that piece of filth not understand with the term 'alliance' means? Did she think that if she ran away, she would get rid of the Careers all together? That we wouldn't go looking for her?

I was giving her a chance to live a little longer than I planned in the beginning. I was allowing her to make it to the final two. And perhaps she would have made it, if she wasn't so damn stupid. Who in their right mind would try to get away from allies? I'll teach her. She won't escape to easily.

That Fire Girl is not as smart as everyone thinks she is.

"Stop! Don't move!" A sudden cry causes me to stop in my tracks, but I show no fear. I do as I am told, the voice familiar in some way. I just can't put a finger on it.

I look around me, careful not to move a single step. "Who's there?"

It doesn't take long before a figure is stepping out of the bushes. She moves slowly, her eyes darting around the forest floor. Katniss.

"Cato, don't move." Her grey eyes are trained on the area around my feet, and I was starting to understand why it was I couldn't move.

Around my foot, was a deadly looking snare. One that was skillfully made to kill whatever hits it. And I was the next victim.

Panic started to take over, yet I didn't allow it to show on my face. I would not let all of Panem know that I was afraid of a little contraption. But in my head, I'll admit I was.

If I make one step, a dagger would be sent right into my chest. "Dismantle it."

Katniss looked confused, and fumbled around for what to say. It seemed as though she didn't want to stop it from killing me. I don't blame her, but I wasn't going to just stand here and be vulnerable to others!

"Dammit, Katniss! DISMANTLE IT!" I yell, gripping my sword tighter. Immediately, she dives for the contraption, snapping off the dagger first and stuffing it in her bag. I watch as she unties everything, and the whole thing falls to pieces.

I am able to move now, but as soon as I do, Katniss begins rebuilding the snare. I could see concentration in her eyes as she creates the deadly trap, also trying to ignore the fact that I was still here. However, I was not going to go by unnoticed.

Grabbing her by the collar, I pull her to her feet forcefully. Okay, so she wasn't trying to run away, but she still almost killed me. At least, her little invention did. And she wouldn't get away with that. "Why the hell did you make that?"

Katniss shrugs, looking down at it. "I made a lot of them surrounding the camp. I figured that if anyone came close, one of these might kill them. Or, it would help with food."

"We have plenty of food. And I believe we can take care of ourselves. You just wasted all of our time. Take all of these down and throw the wood on the pile with the firewood."

I let her go and turn to walk back to camp, fuming with anger. I had to admit, it was smart, but unnecessary. We are the Careers. Not helpless babies.

"No." Katniss says behind me. I turn around to see her arms crossed over her chest and an assertive expression painted over her features.

Smirking, I begin to walk slowly back to her. "I'm sorry, what? No?"

"Yes, no."

"And why ever not?" I arch a brow, curious as to what she will say next.

Katniss narrows her eyes, advancing towards me defensively. It seems as though she does not want to be the one under attack. "Because I don't take orders from you. You may be the leader, but you are not in charge of me. I make my own decisions."

Ah, so she wants to be independent in our alliance. That's cute.

But cute doesn't cut it.

I scowl, then grab her arm and twist it so that her wrist is facing the sky. Before she can react, I have her up against a tree, looking down at her furiously.

"I wouldn't say such things if I were you." I could smell the fear radiating off of the girl in my grasp. Her eyes were wide as she struggled against me. I still had her wrist turned up but now, my sword hovers above her skin.

Katniss glances from me to the blade, frantic. "Please don't."

Ah, the pleading. One of my favorite things about being a trained killer. But this time, I didn't feel the need to kill her. I wasn't even planning to. The Fire Girl seemed genuinely afraid. Not for herself, but for others. I could see in her eyes.

I chuckle, shaking my head. "I'm not going to kill you...yet."

Without waiting another minute, I glide my sword across her skin. It earned me a gasp of pain from the girl in my grip.

And when I step back, I watch as the girl hugs her now bloody arm to her chest, bitting her lip tightly. Hopefully she gets the message. If she does what I say, everything will be great between us. Otherwise, she gets a new scar. For some reason though, I don't want to have to do that again. Killing her is enough.

I turn and begin walking back to camp, this time not stopping. The sound of whimpering causes a smirk to paint itself across my face.

"You might want to get that looked at." I call back to her right before I break through the bushes. I'm sure all of the others are waiting for my return so that we can begin our hunt. Fire Girl will have to catch up later.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I can't wait till he dies.

Till that sadistic smirk disappears forever from his features.

Till his crimson stained blades drop to the floor.

And I want to be the one rid the world of him.

Crap. I'm beginning to sound like a phsyco...

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**Okay, so I had originally planned for this to be posted yesterday, but I was so busy, I didn't have time. I was sick Monday, so I didn't even start till Tuesday after school. But now I'm on Christmas break, so I will have more time to write. I'll admit that this chapter was rather difficult to write. So it took longer to come up with. But anyways, stay tuned for chapter 5. Except it to be up no later than Saturday night!**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N**_

_**Okay, I haven't realized how out of character I made Katniss in the last chapter. Thanks to laughingsince98 for pointing that out. I am so sorry about that, I just had no idea how to write that part out! I was actually being rushed last night to finish it and hadn't had time to go through it and see if there was anything I needed to fix. No worries though, I will change that and make Katniss' character as strong as she is in the book.**_

_**But yes, sometimes the characters in my story may seem a little OOC [out of character], but no worries, I'm just trying to fit it to the plot. If they are too OOC for you, please let me know and I will fix it right away. I don't want to disappoint you all! **_

_**Enjoy chapter five! **_

* * *

_Chapter Five: Predator_

**Katniss POV**

Once I had made it back to camp, Caterina had my wound dressed and found my bow and arrow for me. Everyone else was packing some supplies in a pack, finding a pairs of night vision glasses and handing out torches. I was among those to take the torches, seeing as how I was lower in the alliance.

I couldn't believe myself.

After all this time of forcing myself to be brave and not show any kind of fear, I let myself get weak. Now Cato will see me as being below him. Of all things I could have done to screw up, I chose to act like a pathetic little girl.

I am not a coward. And I am going to prove that tonight.

Cato has insisted that we go hunting at nightfall, when it is dark. I did not argue against this, because I'd rather see children killed in their sleep then let them see what their fate has chosen. It was disturbing.

But what can I do about it? Not a thing. I'm in the Hunger Games for crying out loud! Everything is about death and murder out here. My 'allies' just want to see blood. That's all.

I walk in silence behind Clove, who was trailing behind the rest. She never really stuck with the group. Sure, she was just as deleterious as the others, perhaps even more, but she seemed like the lone wolf type. Likes to hunt alone. And I didn't have a single problem with that.

Just barely, I could make out a conversation being held between the two males of the Career pack. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. About battle plans and blood lust. But it was about home. Marvel talked all about District One while Cato listened, every now and then putting in a word or two.

He didn't seem too interested.

"What are you doing?" Clove demands. She is now at my side, staring blankly at my face.

I shrug, tuning out of the conversation I was listening to. "Nothing."

My grip tightens on my bow, glancing over at the small girl with an equally blank expression. I was not going to allow her to see past me.

"Lie. You were listening to them, weren't you?"

Before I can respond, she answers her own question. "You were. It's hard not to. They are extremely loud."

I was surprised that Clove was even talking to me. It was different for her. She was normally blocked off, not letting anyone but Cato speak to her. Shows how much she wants to win. Keeping a good relationship with Cato would definitely get her to the end.

I had just met her, yet I knew she would have no problem putting a knife in the almighty Cato's back when the time comes.

"Yeah.." I didn't know how I was supposed to respond to her. So instead I answered with brevity and kept my eyes set on the forest around me.

An arrow was already strung through my bow string, and I always made sure I was alert to my surroundings. I couldn't let myself become distracted. I was going to prove myself to these Careers. Prove that I belonged in this alliance. And I'll admit, it was going to be very difficult. Of course, I had the same amount of skill as any of them, but it will take a little to get them to see that.

We walked for hours, after about twenty minutes, the guys stopped talking. I could tell they were now concentrating on finding the stragglers. The other tributes are rather smart to have hidden themselves so well from us. But it isn't so hard. I have learned in the past that if you really want to survive, you will do anything.

Which is exactly what all the others are doing.

Hiding in trees, like I might have done if not for having been invited into this alliance, or maybe even in the bushes. It was risky to hide in places so obvious. But sometimes the most obvious places are over looked. Sometimes, the smartest thing to do, no matter where you are, is just to stay quiet.

The quieter you are, the harder it is to find you.

At first, I had thought all the tributes had us. That spark of hope for them was put out when Marvel started shoving the others and holding a finger to his lips.

He smoothly glided his hand through the air, stopping when his index finger pointed directly to a trail of smoke in the distance. Not too far away from here.

A sadistic smirk aligns their features as they see what Marvel has pointed out. My face remains emotionless as I stare at the sign of life only 100 yards from our current position.

A fire had been started by a freezing tribute. Who it was, I didn't know. Hopefully it was not anyone I was close to. Peeta or the small girl from eleven who reminded me so much of Prim. Rue, I think her name is.

My torch suddenly blows out as I break into a sprint after the others by the cool night breeze. It didn't matter much to me. I had a flashlight I could use later.

It was surprising, because even the sounds of my allies heavy footfalls didn't alarm our target. They seemed unaware of what lay ahead for them.

The light of the fire grew brighter as we came even closer. As we approached the unlucky child. Unlucky indeed.

For this kill belonged to none other than Cato, who called 'dibs' before we had started running. The poor kid had been claimed by one of the deadliest tributes in the whole arena. And I couldn't help feeling sorry for them.

It wasn't long before we were ordered to a certain position behind a barrier of bushes. We formed a circle, giving no escape to the target.

As we walked in towards the fire, I could almost feel the panic and fear radiating from the body of the girl in front of me. It was District Eight. I didn't know her real name, I just knew she wasn't skilled enough to survive this attack.

She was surrounded.

I didn't let the guilt show on my face as the young girl pleaded to Cato, hoping for at least a single ounce of mercy in his heartless body.

I tried not to beg for her as he came even closer, sword at the ready, blood lust glistening in his cold blue eyes.

I watched with a blank expression as the large boy decapitated the redheaded girl.

I held my breath when her blood hit Cato, splattering his tanned skin with crimson liquid.

And I tried not to admire the strong swing of his sword as much I wanted to.

Because I wasn't like them. I didn't wear that proud smirk like the rest of them. I hadn't watched as thought of it as amusing. And I didn't celebrate with the others, didn't yell out triumphantly like I was expected to. I am not heartless, soulless, or merciless. I am not like the others, and I refuse to be.

Then the canon goes off.

* * *

**Cato POV**

I got the first one.

And I am pretty sure that I did rather well.

My performance was outstanding. My skill at a level of no other. The others could help but congratulate me on my outstanding kill. I was proud of myself for not giving into her pathetic little pleas of mercy like I never do.

I know I am making my district proud.

Looking around at the others, they are mocking the girl's cries, laughing at her misfortune, or still yelling out in victory.

But one isn't.

Katniss Everdeen leans against a tree, staring down at the now dead girl. The head very close to where she stands.

I expect for tears to be in her eyes, or horror at least. But nothing is found. No sign of any emotion. It is not happy, sad, or mad. Just blank. Like I had never seen. And I knew why.

But why should I care? It is not my fault that Fir Girl could not handle it. What else am I supposed to do in a place like that? I mean, yeah I could have just stabbed the chick, but what fun would that be?

I look down at the headless body and smirk again, allowing cruelty to show on my face. A few more 'good job's and 'nice work's are said to me by my allies before I tear my eyes from it. I had to admit, her way out was rather violent, but that's just who I am. Nothing much I can do about that. And no one can change me.

When I move my eyes back to the tree that Katniss had been leaning on, she was gone. At first I was outraged, but then I noticed the Caterina was also gone. So hopefully they were together.

"Alright, let's get a move on. It's already starting to reek and the hovercraft should be coming soon." I order. And after searching the girl's things for possibly useful supplies, we keep moving.

I didn't know where those other two were, but I wasn't too worried at this moment. They can just find us when they want.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

When I left, I had just intended on taking a little breather from what I had just witnessed. Never in my life had I ever seen a more violent death. But running with the Careers, I'm sure I would eventually.

My heart was racing. I wasn't scared or nervous, I knew that for a fact. But I was worried. Very worried, in fact.

What happens if I start to enjoy the company of these people? Then they die a gruesome death like I had just seen, and I am there to watch.

What will I do then? Will I break down, then allow the killer to turn to me? Or will I be the killer?

Will the Career's evil and twisted ways rub off on me? Am I going to end up as sadistic as them?

It was a strange feeling to have. Not to be afraid of the Careers, but instead of their personalities. Sick, murderous, deleterious, malignant, sinister. Afraid of enjoying the sight and sound of my arrow piercing skin.

No. I cannot start thinking like this.

There is nothing to fear but fear itself. I will not allow myself to be afraid of anything. No matter what is occurring. Whether I am under physical attack or mental. It doesn't matter.

I will not be afraid.

A sudden sound of rustling in the nearby bushes startled me as I was not paying much attention to my surroundings. And when a dark figure emerges from the shrubbery, I string an arrow quickly, not wasting time.

Having no source of light, I didn't know who it was. Whether it was an ally or an enemy. But I didn't question. I waited.

The figure's hands shot up in surrender when I raised my bow, a slight laugh echoing through the trees. "Whoa, whoa! Are you gonna kill me, Kit Kat?"

The voice was familiar, much like one of the females in the alliance. I lower the bow, narrowing my eyes as if it would help me see better in the dark. But of course it didn't. And before I could say anything, the figure spoke again.

"It's only me. Caterina." I felt a sigh of relief start to escape my lips, but I quickly pull it back in. I didn't want to make it seem like I was afraid of who might be in my company. Because that wasn't it at all. Just that I didn't want to talk to anyone else.

Caterina wasn't as cruel as the rest of them.

I lower my bow the rest of the way, walking towards my ally. As I got closer, it was easier to see. The moon reflected off of her strawberry blonde hair and casted a glow across her prominent cheek bones. She was very pretty, and looked like anything but a murderer. It seemed as though she had been hunting alone, because she was just sliding her dirk back into it's sheath.

Caterina was actually very intelligent. As we walked back to camp where the others probably already were, she explained to me about a place outside of Panem called Scotland. She told me about how the grass was always lush and vibrant in color, and how they wore a checkered cloth called a kilt during ceremonies. The dirk she had was of Scottish culture. The design, that is.

The most interesting thing she told me then, was how her ancestors were immigrants from Scotland a long time ago when Panem was called the United States of America. She said how there were once 50 different states, and it was governed by a man called a President. I was most intrigued by all this information, and wished I could have listened to her talk about it all night. But we arrived at camp to quickly.

A fire had been started and the others were all sitting around, eating dinner. Well, what seemed like dinner. They ate crackers and apples. So actually, it was like a snack. I wanted more than anything to hunt, and cook some real food. Something that would tie us over for the night. But I knew I would not be allowed.

I was not permitted to do anything on own.

Not that I cared. I will in the morning. And nothing will stop me.

Because no one is in charge of my actions. Not Cato, not Clove, not anybody. I am not a pet. I am not going to let them tie me down. If I am going to be a part of this alliance, I am going to be treated as an equal.

If only they could see past their pride.

* * *

**Peeta POV**

Of course she is with them. I knew she would go through with it. That's just who she is. She'll do anything to make it home.

Katniss Everdeen.

I had followed her tonight. Not close enough to the point that they knew I was there. But within a distance that I could listen to her conversation with her ally. It was actually surprising to me how friendly she was to this girl. I had thought Katniss would be blocked off. I didn't think she would be so open to talking with one of them.

One of the heartless.

But who was I kidding? Katniss was with them now. She was a Career.

I was hurt. Just a little, at least.

Supposedly, she was my 'star-crossed lover'. But she didn't feel the same way about me. I knew she didn't. So I didn't understand why Haymitch keeps trying to use it. It won't help either of us.

Because she has allied with the most dangerous competitors in this arena.

She is now the predator, and I am the prey.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**Sorry this chapter was a little rushed. It wasn't as good. But just so you know, it is mainly AU. The plot is not the same as it is in the book. I hope this doesn't upset you. Also, I am running a poll on what story I should right next. I'd very much like your opinions! The next chapter will be posted on New Years Day. Thank you so much for reading!**_

_** Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N**_

_**Happy new year! I hope everyone is having a marvelous January 1st! How was everyone's Christmas? I, myself, had the best Christmas ever! Brand new laptop for yours truly. Which means I will be able to write easier and post new chapters quicker. Lucky for you guys! Anyways, with my little cousins over this week, I had to wait after they went to sleep to continue writing. Hopefully it turns out good!**_

_**Okay, enjoy!**_

* * *

_Chapter Six: Shall Not Kill_

**Cato POV**

It wasn't even close to dark, yet I could feel the night coming on.

The cool breeze that wasn't there before. The opposite of the heated, humid air that I walked through not an hour ago.

While waiting for Fire Girl and Caterina to return, the rest of us set to work on getting ready for the night. All of knew that the Gamemakers would drop the temperature, but none of us knew how much. Whether it would be chilly or drop to extreme temperatures. We had no idea.

We sit in silence for a while, not really paying attention to each other. I didn't mind much. To be completely honest, I was glad there was not talking going on. I was in no mood to communicate with anyone or deal with some crap. Of course, not all of them gave me useless information. Just the stupid ones.

Which is more than half of them.

The only one who can carry out a conversation worth my time is my partner, Clove. We've been friends for years. Training partners. Neighbors. I know everything about her, and she knows an equal amount about me.

It will be difficult killing her.

But I refuse to think of that right now. It is not even close to the end yet.

So instead, I keep my eyes trained up at the sky as I rest against a large boulder not far from the lake. In my head swarmed a variety of different thoughts. What life will be like when I win the Games. If I end up with a good life this time around. Maybe I won't end up good. Perhaps, I'll wind up like the drunken victor from Twelve, or that mindless girl from Four. I hope I do not become like that. Winning the Games will give me plenty of opportunities.

The Academy has already offered me a job as the head instructor in the Training Hall. It would be such a great honor to teach young ones how to fight. Create them into little warriors, who are prepared to risk their lives to bring pride to their district. It has been my dream since I was 6 years old. Other than winning The Hunger Games of course.

I was put into the Academy earlier than the others. At the age of 5. Normally, one would be enrolled by 8 or 9, but not me. From the very beginning I showed a vicious side of me. My father had called me his 'little rebel', because I tore things to pieces when situations were bad. If things didn't go my way, I would scream and yell until someone fixed it. Many called me spoiled. And I was. But it wasn't a lovey dovey type of spoiled.

What a cruel kid, I was.

In school, I'd attack a kid for no reason. If someone so much as looked at me in a weird way, they were on the ground.

That's why I was sent in early.

The Academy takes kids in for years. We would live there until we were 18, have been reaped, or volunteered. We had our own rooms in there. Mine was normally pretty clean, except for the random stack of weaponry and few bloodstains on the carpet. Other than to sleep, I was rarely in there.

From 5:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M., I jogged around the district to get in a warm up. From 6:00 A.M. to noon, I had weight training. Noon to 2:00 P.M. was my history and survival classes. From 2:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. was my usual training, with hand-on-hand combat, sword wielding, and target practice.

I never had a free day.

Didn't matter much though. I had my sights set on winning the Games. Which is what I am doing now.

"Cato!" A high pitched squeal caused me to snap back into reality, scaring the living hell out of me.

It was Glimmer. She had moved to sit next to me, which creeped me out a lot, actually. A stupid smile was lighting up on her face as she watched me, waiting for an answer. I did not want to answer, though. I went off to sit by myself for a reason!

I groan, looking away from her. "What do you want?"

There was silence for a second, and I was very disappointed when Glimmer found herself obligated to break it. "I just wanted to come and sit with you. Thought you could use the company."

Gosh, I can never catch a break. It's either Marvel bugging me about being in the lead, or Glimmer falling all over me. These District One kids need to calm down. Cause there is no possible way I will ever let them take control over me. They are pretty much worthless anyways. Sparkles over here can hardly even hold a bow, let alone shoot one. And Mr. Marvelous is nothing but skin and bones! For God's sake. Eat a hamburger or something.

If only I could rid myself of them now. Life would be so much easier. But, that would break the code of honor. And honor is extremely important to tributes from District Two. And I refuse to be the first one the do something as horrid as dishonoring my district.

Without saying a single word, I get up from where I was sitting and walk back to the fire. I swear, if that perky girl follows me, I will kick her out of the alliance without a second thought. I will not put up with any bullshit. This is a game of survival. How can you expect to survive if you are skipping around as if you are in a freaking meadow? This isn't home. It isn't a fun game. It isn't pleasant. Even if you enjoy it, the brutality is heart wrenching.

For instance, earlier today, with the girl from Eight. Like most Career tributes from Two, killing is extremely satisfying to me. I like to hear the pleading cries, the sobs of pain, the shrill cries right before death. The smell of blood, the sight of a freshly dead body killed under my own blade, it is all magnificent. In a grotesque, gory kind of way. But in the Games, it is my way or the highway. Actually, it is my way or... well... death. Not to sound mean or anything.

Nobody wants to die. Especially in an evil way like this. But we don't have any other choice. In the words of my personal trainer back in Two, "Run from it, or learn from it. Love it, or leave it. Death is an option to consider." He was not as strict as the others were. Not as strict as I wanted him to be. But he taught me things that needed to be taught. His words were wise and powerful to me. They have been branded in my head since that very day.

Death is an option to consider.

I can either live out my life through success, or I can quit while I'm ahead. Quit trying all together when the going gets tough. When I feel like there is nothing more I can do, or as if my time on Earth is done. End my life before someone else does it for me.

But that doesn't sound too good to me.

And the reason is, I live for pride. How can I bring pride to my family and district if I do not fight for what is rightfully mine? Fight for my life? Living is the greatest prize out there. Not the crown, not the glory, just the fact that I survived. I fought through the greatest battle and won. What more could anyone want?

I found a book when I was real young. Maybe five or six. It was a big book, covered with dust and cobwebs. Up in my attic it sat, in a great big box filled with old, tattered papers and notebooks galore. The book was heavy, probably thousands upon thousands of pages. It wasn't a normal book. It looked as if it had sat in this box for a million years, never being touched. The cover was thick and leathery, a light brown. In it, was an indention. A word of some sort. Back then, my reading was not it's best, but I managed to figure out what it had said.

_Holy Bible._

To this day I have no idea what it means. I had never seen a book like that in my entire life. I was curious, I'll give you that. And curiosity always got the best of me. I flipped open the grand book to a random page and read the line that my eyes fell on first. I read two sentences that day. Two sentences that I will never forget. They changed my life. Completely.

_"_No_ one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."_

As a kid, I had no idea what this could mean. Angels. Heaven. Son. Father. Where is heaven located? Is it somewhere outside of Panem? Who was the Son? Who was the Father? Were they people in they affiliated with the Capitol? Maybe they were from another country completely. Is it something that we have learned in school? I didn't know.

Just about a year ago, my mother told me stories that had been in her family for generations. Of a man, by the name of God, who ruled over the kingdom of Heaven. Who created the land and the seas, every creature on the planet. He is the one who put the stars in the sky, and the grass on the ground. He rules over all mankind. Old and young. And on his right side, Jesus, the son of God. Not completely God, not completely human. One of a kid. The savior.

The story was most interesting. But at the time, seemed like only an ancient fairy tale. But like a kid would believe in a positive future for Panem, I believed in Him. That book, is hidden away in my room, so that I can read it. Those two pages marked, where I can look back at the sentences that grew on me so much. The ones that made me to question my actions, and wonder what will become of me if I stay on this path that I am on.

_"__Thou __shall not kill."_

* * *

**Katniss POV**

The night was brutally frigid. Winds gusted through the open air, nipping at my nose and ears; the two most sensitive parts of my face. My jacket did not supply as much warmth as I expected it to, and in turn, caused me to pretty much freeze to death.

All of the other Careers lay in warmth. Either protected from the winds with the tents, or heated by the Capitol designed sleeping bags. I, only the other hand, was left with only the fire to provide heat. Lucky me...

I envy them completely. They were probably sleeping soundly, not even worrying about the day that lies ahead. They don't even care that they are in an arena filled with a bunch of other kids, fighting for their lives! It's like they aren't phased by it. I mean, of course they aren't. They are Careers.

Of course.

A part of me wishes that I was like them. Maybe not in the 'I'm gonna kill you cause I feel like it' kind of way, but being prepared for something like this. Knowing how to survive not only in the wild, but against murderous children. It would be extremely helpful, and most likely get me to the end of the Games. However, I was not born in the correct District to have privileges like that. Not that I do not like Twelve, but it doesn't supply the necessities I need at the moment.

Gosh, what am I talking about?

I do _not _want to be like those monsters! I am not one of them! What has gotten into me? Are they rubbing off on me? I sure hope not. The last thing I want to have happen is become a malevolent fiend like the rest of them. That isn't who I am.

I'm proud I come from District Twelve.

Nothing else to the matter. I simply cannot think about it any longer.

Glancing around the campsite, I observe the others carefully, as if it would help me learn more of them. Just by watching them sleep.

That sounds a little creepy, doesn't it?

No matter, we are in the Games after all. Anything goes in here. Everything one does in this arena is somewhat creepy. Hiding in bushes, lurking around campsites, sharpening weapons, all of it. Creepy. So technically, what I am doing is nothing. Nothing at all.

From where I lay, I could see Clove's foot peeking out of the tent. What an idiot for not zipping it all the way shut. Marvel lay in a sleeping bag beside his district partner, obviously not cold. They both seemed to be sleeping soundly. Well.. occasionally, Glimmer thrashed around in her sleep, which was kinda weird. Seeing as how her face did not show any signs of a nightmare. Caterina got the thinner sleeping bag, that offered no heat whatsoever. It was pretty much just a sheet. But it was better than what I had.

Then there was Cato. The tent that had been set up for him was empty. No sleeping bag lay beside the fire with him inside. The camp seemed completely vacant of the not-so-humble Career leader. Which wasn't technically a good thing. Many different things could occur in his absence. For he was one of the main reasons why the other tributes stayed so far away. Don't get me wrong, the other Careers were just as terrifying, it's just that Cato is more intimidating than the rest.

I, for instance, am only semi scary to others when armed with my bow and arrows and the will to kill. It was kind of disappointing, because I am with the Careers now. I really need to step up my game.

While arranging my weapons, blow gun, darts, three knives, and my bow and arrow, I prepare to take watch for the night. Since Cato was no where to be seen and everyone else was dead asleep, I had to step up and do it. It shouldn't be too hard. All I had to do was stay up and be prepared to kill. No big deal. Plus, the almighty Cato should be back from wherever he went soon.

However, looking straight ahead, I could see a figure draped across a large boulder. Still as could be. Was it an animal? Or maybe the carcass of one of the Career's previous kills. No, the hovercraft would have picked it up by now. If it was anything dead, the whole area would stink like crazy.

Cautiously, I stand up, loading my bow just to be careful. I don't want to get there and it be too late to reach around my back and grab an arrow. This was actually pretty risky for me to be doing. I could be walking right into a trap. But it is important that I do so, because if one of the Careers gets killed, I get killed. It's as simple as that.

I was just about three quarters of the way to the figure when I began to see a familiar rise and fall of a broad chest. It was a tribute, that's for sure. But enemy or ally? Awake or asleep? It was hard to tell from where I stood. And it would only take a few more steps to see clearly.

As I approached the tribute, I recognized the spike of his hair, which seemed to stretch up towards the sky as if to catch a star. The thick, muscular body was of someone I knew. Someone I didn't want to know, but knew either way.

Cato Tenae.

I grit my teeth, afraid that if he is asleep, that I will wake him. If I wake him, who knows what could happen to me. I'd be a goner.

It only took one more step to see the light glistening off of the eyes I normally saw to be cold and icy. The moon, which of course is fake just like everything else in the Capitol, seemed to soften them. Melt them, maybe, into something so much more welcoming. So much more inviting.

I wanted to go and talk to him because of it. It just made him seem so friendly. At this moment, his face did not look like it belonged to that bestial brute that I had seen earlier, but to a young boy with hopes and dreams for the future. He seemed like he'd be open to conversation about any topic. Seemed like the person to smile at the smallest gesture from a friend.

But I realized, I have never seen him smile. Not once. He smirks, but what good is that? It's worth nothing in my book. A smile lets you see inside of someone. Helps you to understand who they are. But sometimes, I don't need a silly old smile from him. I saw him today. The real Cato. He is in there, locked up in that cold heart of his. all he needs is someone to open him up. His friends, maybe? If he gets home...

Perhaps Cato does need to go home. At this point, with how he acts, he seems as though he needs his family for support. To love and care for him. He needs a friend to talk to when he's upset. Other than his partner in crime, Clove. She only wants to talk to the demon in someone. And if you don't have one, she tries to plant it in you. Not a very good friend if you ask me.

I slap myself mentally. _No Katniss! You are going home. You promised Prim you would get home safe. Stop this._

At that, I turn to walk back to where I had sat before, hoping Cato hadn't noticed me. However, you never really can sneak by the leader.

"Everdeen." His voice was soft, in almost a whisper. As though he was trying not to wake the others. I turn around cautiously, unsure of what will happen when I face him once again. But I wasn't even close to being scared.

Cato is in the same position, with his hands clasping his sword, which rests across his stomach. "What are you doing?"

"I, uh..." I fumble around for the right words, trying not to sound like a complete idiot in the process. "I didn't know it was you. Sorry."

He releases a rather breathy chuckle, and I am able to catch a glimpse of his eyes darting over to me for a split second. "You were staring at me, Fire Girl."

It was true, I was. But that's just what I do. I have to look at something while I am thinking. And I was already looking at Cato, so why not? Plus, he was rather fascinating to me at the moment being. "So?"

"So, you were staring at me, Fire Girl. Like what you see?" At this, I almost burst out laughing. But honestly, there was nothing funny about it. Because he is kind of attractive.

I look down at my feet, and again I hear his chuckle. It seems as though he is in a pretty good mood. However, I couldn't let my guard down. Not ever. "Doesn't matter."

Looking back up, I see him still just laying there, looking up at the sky as if it were some fascinating new thing that he had never seen. Arching a brow, I step a bit closer to the boulder which he rested on. It is so difficult making conversation with this boy. He is nothing like me. At least, from what I know, he isn't.

"What are _you_ doing?" It was a question I just had to ask. What I really wanted to know was what he was thinking about. But this will have to go first.

It takes him a while to answer. I don't know if he hadn't heard me, or if he was just thinking about how to answer, but either way, I waited. I was going to get an answer whether he likes it or not.

He opens his mouth to speak, but just as quickly shuts it, as if he had forgotten what he was going to say, for took it back. I was thinking about just going back to the camp when I heard his rough voice again.

"Have you ever heard of someone named God?" The question was different. I had never really been asked that before. I had said the word before, but never used it as a name. Not really. It was puzzling.

I set my bow down and sit next to the boulder, thinking back to all the times I had heard the name mentioned as an actual name. "Once. In a fairy tale."

I was pretty sure that everyone had heard that tale, but was uncertain whether it was an actual fairy tale, or the truth told through legends. My mother had told me the story of how the Earth was created, and mentioned a great man by the name of God. It was a magnificent story, but I hardly remembered it.

Just before I was about to add onto my statement, Cato begins speaking again. "The story of Creation is what everyone is told of. I read the entire thing in a book. A book so big it would take years to read and comprehend. That man, God, knows when and how I am going to die. He knows and nobody else does. I believe it's true. Maybe the rest of Panem does not, but it doesn't matter to me. I can believe what I want to."

And then I saw him again. I saw a young boy, with sparks of hope in his eyes. With dreams and visions of his future. It almost startled me, how childlike he was right at this moment. His blue eyes spread wide, focused on the stars generated by the people who put us here. But right now, he didn't seem to care. He hadn't shown any signs of caring in the first place, but this was different. It was as if we were not in the arena at all.

It was obvious that the conversation was over when he snaps back into reality and sits up. "Go to sleep. I'll keep watch."

...

Once again, the gusts of wind were nipping at my nose, chilling every bone in my body.

But this time, I fell asleep.

Because I saw hope today. Hope for each and every one of us. No matter who is going to be the last one standing.

* * *

**_A/N_**

**_Okay, so I literally finished this chapter at 11:50. So it's technically still New Years Day! Sorry it's so late, I've been busy with family and things. Also, this chapter was mainly a fluff chapter, and I just threw in the first thing I thought of. If anyone is offended by the mention of God or heaven or anything, please don't hate me. I didn't think about people being Atheist or anything till I finished. Super sorry. Thank you for reading, guys!_**

**_- Charlotte :)_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N_**

**_Hey guys. So I have a few things to say before I get on with this next chapter. First off, that was actually the longest chapter I have written yet, with 4,092 words. I spent an entire day all together writing that chapter. I know, compared to other fanfictions mine is extremely short, but I am not like other writers. In addition to that, some of you commented telling me that adding a religious aspect was good, others said it wasn't such a good idea. Two things on that. One: I wanted to put something in this chapter that would kind of bring some hope to them. In a place where nothing is every truly done for the good of the people, I thought that they could have a little enlightening moment. The first thing I thought of to get that done was add just a little bit of religion in there. I am a Catholic, so I was all for it. I forgot about you guys until the very end. I didn't feel like rewriting it. Two: Someone asked if religion was banned in Panem. Yes, it was. If you recall, in the story, Cato tells how he found the book in his attic, said it looked to be thousands of years old. This implied that it had maybe belonged to one of his ancestors from when Panem was the USA, and had been saved for generations by his family. The story told to them as little kids was the story of creation, which was passed on through many families in Panem as a sort of fairy tale. So to the kids, it was not thought of to be real and meaningful. If this was unclear to you, I hope it is now. _**

**_Sorry if my last chapter disappointed anyone, I'm going to try and be more careful._**

**_Without further ado, chapter seven!_**

* * *

_Chapter Seven: The Archer_

**Katniss POV**

Hunting began early the next morning. A little too early for me. I was still shivering from the long, cold night before, and was just starting to adjust to the gradually raising temperature. Without much sleep, I really didn't have a lot of energy. Although I didn't show it on my face, my body was practically screaming it to all of Panem as I tried my hardest to drag it through the forest.

I felt as if I was hauling a ton of bricks.

Trailing far behind the others, I played with the stiff feathers on my arrow in boredom. We had been walking for up to two hours now with no sign of life. No tributes had been spotted, and to be quite honest, it was very disappointing. I was kind of hoping we could get rid of a whole bunch of tributes today so that the Games ended quicker. Then again, do I want to face the Careers?

What am I talking about? Of course I do. I'm not scared of them. Sure, sometimes they can be rather intimidating, but it's not like I couldn't be. I just haven't put myself in that state of mind yet.

I have only killed one person this entire Game so far, and have not really had a chance to prove to the other Careers that I was worthy of being in their alliance. It really wouldn't be that big of a deal to me if I was in the Career pack or not if it wasn't for my sister. I had to make sure that got out unharmed. Well, maybe just a little bit harmed, but not much. As long as I lived, I should be good.

But these well hidden tributes are making it extremely difficult to end it. We can't find anyone. It was kind of disappointing as well. I don't know why, but I was looking forward to removing some straggling tributes from the equation.

The others were indifferent about it. I guess they really just didn't care how long it took to kill off the others. To them, the longer it took, the easier it would be to find them. After all, they have to run out of food sometime. And when they get desperate and come out of hiding to find something to eat, we will attack then. It was a very logical plan, actually. And who came up with it? Why, me, of course.

I'm sure that got their attention.

Caterina has been walking right next to me for almost the entire hunt. I didn't know if it was to keep an eye on me, or if she was simply being friendly. Hard to say, really. We didn't talk at all, and her facial expression was blank, just like the rest of them. All silent. Watching for any sudden movements in their line of sight. It was almost like a pack of wolves. The alpha male in the lead, the beta and most trusted fighter on either flank, and the rest of the group trailing behind. Cato is alpha in this pack. Then Clove and Marvel. Glimmer, Caterina and I are in the back. Makes sense.

They all think I am incapable of doing anything. Well. We'll see about that. Just wait until we spot a tribute. I will take them out before Marvel can point them out. It'll be easy. At least, I hope it will. There is no real way of knowing which tribute we'll be up against. Whether it was someone strong like Thresh or helpless like his partner, Rue. Will I be able to kill them? Thresh might be too much of a challenge, and Rue reminds me too much of Prim. It would be like killing my own little sister. Not to mention the fact that I'd be destroying an innocent life.

What am I even saying?

I could take Thresh down with one release of my bowstring. That is, if I aim for the correct spot.

And yes, killing Rue would be devastatingly painful for me to do, but look where I am! It's kill or be killed out here. And if I don't kill her, I know one of the other Careers will. She will die slowly and painfully. Clove will most likely cut her into a million pieces, or slit open her stomach so Cato could gut her. What kind of a horrid person would want to do something like that?

My allies.

I still couldn't believe that I was with them. Of course, it would be fairly easy to get to the end if I proved myself to be useful. But I am not like them. At all. And I loath having to act as if I do not care about others lives when I do. I care! Watching tributes die at the hands of my allies... it was horrible. But what was I to do? I couldn't tell them to stop. They'd only kill me. And if I tried to defend myself, I'd lose. There are way too many of them to win.

Scanning my surroundings, I observe how we have made our way to a place I had not been to before. The trees had thinned out, and there was more space between each one. Flowers of blue and yellow budded on the forest floor, swimming in a stream of gold that danced down through the leaves. The heat was hardly a problem now. The area was shaded by the canopy of branches above, filled with a large variety of birds. It was absolutely beautiful.

But the other Careers did not seem so impressed. To them, they saw only trees. They could not see the beauty in things like I can. At least, that's how it seems. Because they never showed emotion on their face. It was as if they were carved out of stone. Nothing mattered to them except murder. How wonderful...

As I looked around, I spotted a wet ringed indention on the ground, not two yards away. I rush over to it, searching around for any other evidence of life. The ring must be from a bucket of water that had been set here for a while. It was still rather damp, so the one who had picked it up could not be too far away. This was it. This is when I get to prove to the Careers that I deserve to be in their group.

There was a barely audible crack of a twig somewhere in front of me, informing me that there is, in fact, a tribute nearby. Glancing over my shoulder at the others, I see that they have not noticed my investigation and are still walking in the direction they were before. They aren't very good at paying attention to detail. Without a second thought, I break through the bushes that sat before me, not caring that the tribute could most likely hear me, or that the others now know that I am on the move.

The sound of heavy footfalls a few yards ahead of me caused me to gain speed, wanting to end the chase quickly so I could get right down to the kill. Whoever it was, they were fast. It was hard to keep up and try to lose the Careers who were now running after me in fury. They just don't have good enough ears to know what I was after.

The forest had thickened again, making it more difficult to pursue my target. Leaping over fallen trees and shrubbery, I kept my eyes fixed on the tribute, who was coming closer into view. It was a boy, who seemed a little too weak to run for too much longer. I could run like this for a while, so there was a decent chance that I could catch him. If I don't lose sight of him.

I could already see him slowing down, and his nervous glances over his shoulder. He was completely terrified. And that was the only thing keeping him from moving forward. Although, he was struggling with his heavy breathing and weakening legs, he would not slow any further.

Which is why I had to slow boy down for him.

Gaining a bit more speed, I lock an arrow on the bowstring, pulling it back and aiming for the one spot that would stop his movement. Not ceasing to run, I release the arrow, sending it slicing through the air towards the tired boy. A wail was heard moments later as the sharp tip of the arrow pierced his thigh. If it were any other Career doing this, they would be smirking and running with a knife pulled out to slaughter him.

But I wasn't any other Career.

Just to see how it would work, I pull my blow gun from around my head and place my mouth in one side of the gun. Aiming carefully, I huff out a large breath of air, shooting a dart right into the struggling boys back. Not exactly where I wanted it to hit, but hey, I've never used one of those things before.

Without wasting another second, I ran to the boy who had gone still. At first, he had been trying to get back to his feet, but had not gotten there. Once at his knees, the poisonous dart hit him hard, causing him to fall flat on his stomach. Blood streamed from his mouth, and he was gasping for air. Obviously, I hadn't hit him in a very good spot, and he was suffering.

I knew that the others would be here any moment, so I quickly strung another bow and show him through the heart. The canon goes off immediately.

Some laughs were heard from the direction that I had come from, confirming that the Career pack knew I was the one that killed the boy who looked to be from District Nine. Sighing, I jerked my arrows from the bloodstained and lifeless body and walked towards the sounds of my allies.

They burst through the shrubs, hollering and laughing victoriously. Even though they were not the ones to kill the boy. Caterina patted me on the shoulder, smiling brightly as she looked from me to the dead boy. It was her way of saying congratulations. The others continued to tell me that I did well for a "scum bag" and all that crap that I really didn't care about. Glimmer was observing the flowers that were scattered all over the ground (which was strange even for the Barbie) , Marvel and Clove were using the body of the boy for target practice, Caterina was babbling on to me about how she didn't even know I was that skilled, and Cato... was by himself in the shadows.

Sliding the bloody arrows in the quiver, I walked over to him, unsure of what I planned on saying. He was the leader. Not someone to be trifled with. He is not my friend. Never will be. So I do not understand why I want to talk to him so badly.

Cato is dangerous. Deadly. One of the most skilled in the entire arena. There is nothing he cannot do. Well, there are a few things he cannot do. If Cato knew how to use a bow or a blow gun, I would be weaponless right now. But even still, he is intimidating. He expects everyone to be afraid of him and do what he says no matter what it is.

_Newsflash, your highness. I am not afraid of you._

* * *

**Cato POV**

She surprised me. I had not expected her to be such an excellent tracker. For someone from the poorest district in Panem, she sure knew a lot about hunting. Which did not make much sense to me.

It was completely and utterly confusing. Katniss Everdeen is the most confusing and frustrating girl in the world. There were times when she was weak. When she knew that she could not win. When she saw the hatred in ones eyes. When she watched a death occur in front of her. When she was hungry. When she was _vulnerable. _But these things were so rare that if you threatened her with everything you could think of, even holding a knife to her throat, she would spit in your face.

Then there were the times when she was strong. One of the strongest. It happened when she was determined. When she was protective. When she was faced with a challenge that seemed unsolvable. When she was told that she can't. I have seen that girl the most. Katniss is strong willed. She can handle anything. It almost infuriates me how much it takes to get through to her. To get under her skin means you have to understand who she is. But how can I do that when she is so damn complicated?

Even if I was a genius, I could not hack into the puzzle that is Katniss Everdeens brain. And that is one of the reasons why I hate her.

With that much courage, the girl will never give up. I could just tell that she will be an extreme threat to me when it gets down to the last of us. And today only confirmed that. She killed someone so easily that it was almost scary. Of course, I could do the same. But she picked up a weapon she has never even used before (at least, I think she hasn't used it) and killed someone. Which is never easy. I cannot even do that. And I have been training since I was eight years old!

This is exactly why she needs to be killed. And soon.

If Katniss lives till the end, who knows what will happen. She could win. And that cannot happen. Because if she wins, then I die. That isn't my plan for these Games. I will not allow some amateur ruin my chances at life. I have plans for my future. Plans that I want so desperately to fulfill. I can't have her take that away from me. Not without a fight.

I stand leaning against a maple tree, watching as a giant claw comes from the sky to collect the body. It scoops up the limp corpse, carrying it off into the hovercraft above it. For some reason, I had imagined that as being me, while Katniss is collected and crowned victor. It is not a pretty sight. And surely, that is not my fate. I know something great is planned for me, and I am going to find out what that is.

"Cato." An all too familiar voice rang through my ears, sadly bringing me out of my thoughts. If only I could have stayed there for an hour or two. I turn my head, slowly but surely, to meet the gaze of the one person that I had no intention of talking to. Katniss Everdeen. The Girl on Fire.

I roll my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "What do you want?"

My words came out harshly, and it seemed to make Katniss falter when it came to what she was going to say, but regained her composure quickly. Oh, if only she was a sensitive little twit. I wouldn't have such a hard time killing her if she was.

The brunette scowled, mimicking my actions by crossing her own arms over her chest. "So I am not allowed to speak to you?"

Ah. So she had thought that she could get me to engage in a conversation with her. I am not her little buddy. I do not do "nice". It isn't how I do things. Especially not here in the Hunger Games. For me, there are strict limits when it comes to friendship. Clove is enough for me here.

Shaking my head, I push off of the tree and grab the sword that had been laying down by my feet. This was not the time for chit chat. There is time for that later. I walk towards the others, motioning in the direction of where the body was laying. "We should head this way. The kid might have had an ally somewhere in that direction."

Without waiting for a reply from anyone, I begin my trek in the direction that the boy was traveling. After a few seconds, I hear the others walking after me. Of course they would. I am the leader of this group and they all answer to me. It makes me rather happy that it is that way. I like to be in charge. That helps me to build more confidence than I have already. And it allows me to gain easier access to each of my allies. Killing them off will be simple.

As soon as it is down to us and maybe two or three other tributes, it's bye bye District One. They will definitely be the first to go. Insignificant fools.

I don't even know why I let them into the alliance in the first place. I had observed them during training. They can't do anything. Their aim is crap, and they are useless when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. So I have nothing to loose. They will be easily defeated.

On the other hand, killing Clove and Cat will be harder. Clove has been my friend for ages, and Cat is probably the nicest murderer I have ever met. It is extremely strange for me to feel anything towards Caterina. But she has grown on me since we met in training. She's a good friend.

Katniss, however, is not so easily decided on. Will it be a challenge to kill her in the end? Or will it be as easy as I have thought it would be? She is complicated. Way too complicated. Sometimes she just makes no sense. She is bold. Daring. Courageous. Sometimes, like a moment ago, she is murderous and uncaring. Or perhaps it is just a cover up to hide the weak little girl that she truly is.

Am I the only one confused by her?

I continue to walk, trying my best to ignore the others. It was easier than I thought. All I had to do is tune them out and focus on my surroundings. I am hunting. Prowling around, tracking my prey. There were no clear signs of life, which held me back before my instinct took over. After 10 years of practice, I am rather good at finding things. Tracking is probably one of the easiest things I learned.

Took me a day or two to learn it, and another four days to master it. It was too easy.

But then again, for me, nothing is challenging. Hand-to-hand combat, sword wielding, knife throwing, weight lifting, everything was so simple that even the instructors at the Academy could not beat me. And was I full of myself? Of course I was! I am not afraid to admit it. I am not afraid of anything.

After about an hour of walking and blocking out the annoyance that is Glimmer Cain, I stop. A faint cracking sound is heard above, and I immediately rule out the ideal of it being Thresh, the boy from 11. The branches of the tree above me are thin. Much too weak to support anyone of massive proportions. Even Fire Girl could not climb that.

Clove steps closer to the tree, peering up into the tree with narrowed eyes. I am surprised she did not stop the hidden one right away. The girl has telescopes for eyes. Which makes it extremely easy to spot our next victim.

But no one could see who it was. Perhaps they were too high up, or have long since moved on from where we stood. Maybe we completely missed a kill.

The last to look is of course, Fire Girl. Tree climbing extraordinaire.

I laugh to myself at the words I had just used to describe her.

Fear was written all over the brunette's face as her eyes widened. She had spotted the child, yet would not tell us where. All I knew was that the tribute was no longer in the tree above us.

Katniss suddenly burst into a sprint towards the location of the escaping tribute. She already had an arrow strung through her bowstring and was gaining speed with every step. And that did not sit well with me. There is no way she was going to get another kill. This one is mine.

I run after her, yelling her name in fury. Of course, I masked my emotion by smoothing out my voice a little bit so that the girl simply led me to where the victim was instead of stopping and letting me try any find her on my own.

Gaining speed, I try my hardest to catch up with Katniss. Her speed and agility make it very difficult to reach her. However, my efforts were not good enough. Because when I got three quarters of the way to my target, the archer had released her arrow.

* * *

**Rue POV**

Six of them.

That is how many enemies I had.

Sure, everyone in this arena is an enemy, but none are like these. Cruel. Vicious. Deleterious. Malicious. They were the most skilled tributes in the entire arena. And they frightened me to death.

And truthfully, I did not want to die. Nobody does.

Although I did not wish to watch them, I was instructed to. I was told that if I watched them and figured out their weaknesses, it could help me win. And I do trust my ally to get me through. At least a little bit farther. I know I can do it. As long as Peeta is alive.

I am safe. For now.

In the tallest tree is where I stood, staring at the oncoming pack of predators. They were talking to each other in a rather cheery way. As if they were not in the Hunger Games at all. As if they were going for a stroll in the park. It was interesting to watch. They seemed rather content with what they were doing. There was no lustful looks on their faces. No hatred in their eyes. Not like I had seen before. Now, they were simply... normal.

All were smiling, laughing, playing around with each other. All except for two. Which wasn't exactly surprising.

Katniss Everdeen. The girl that I had watched ever so closely, trailed behind the group. She had a look written on her face that read of thoughtfulness. Obviously, something had consumed her mind, and she was having trouble focusing on the task at hand. Paying attention was the least of her concerns.

At least, that would be my guess.

Then there was the leader. I believe his name was Cato. He was the complete opposite of Katniss. Focused, determined, completely in sync with the area around him. He was hunting. Unlike the others, who were only following him. I could see him scanning the grounds for clues of anything that might have been there. It was his immutable concentration that frightened me. A little too much.

Before I had time to think, I swiveled around in the tree that I hid in, and leaped to the tree beside it. I had pushed off with a little too much force though. The consequence came quickly. A loud snap of wood came from the now broken tree limb, causing me to stumble across a rather thick limb. Scrambling quickly across the branch, I tried not too look back in fear that I will see them pursuing me. But I heard nothing. Even the absence of sound, however, did not sooth my panicked mind. I needed to run. To get back to camp. Get back to Peeta. He will protect me.

A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead as I jumped lightly from branch to branch as fast as I possible could. I did not want to break any more branches and let the Careers know of my location. It was all I could do to stay alive. Just keep moving.

Suddenly, I begin to hear the sound of pounding feet below. It was only one person, but even still, they found me. I try to quicken my pace, but it is hard to do so when there are so many branches to get past.

Taking a chance, I glance back at the one who is following me. Perhaps it would be one with poor aim. But instead I see the girl from Twelve. Katniss. She is coming after me, but no signs of blood lust was in her eyes. She was... scared. Not for herself, but for me.

I continue moving, knowing that she can keep up with me. Katniss has an arrow pulled back to her cheek aiming for a spot near me, waiting. I do not know what she is wanting to do. Whether it is kill me or let me go, she needs to do it soon. Other wise, I just might explode in fear.

However, my worries do not last long. Right before she releases the arrow, she mouths the word "_run_".

The arrow hits the tree trunk right in front of me, and I decide it would be for the best that I play along, just so that she does not get in trouble. I let out a high pitched scream of pain as I jerk the arrow out of the trunk and continue moving. This time, jumping to the ground as the trees get thicker and the area gets shady.

Before I make it out of range, I hear a conversation between Katniss and her leader. It makes me scared for her, perhaps like she was scared for me. I do not know what is going to become of her.

"What the hell? Where did she go?!" Cato yells at her, searching the area.

A still heavily panting Katniss argues back, pointing the end of her bow at him. "I did my best, okay?! She jumped out of the way of where I had originally aimed. I got her arm instead. Besides, what does it matter if she is still alive? She is twelve, Cato. She can't survive much longer."

My heart sinks, but I realize that she did give me a shot at living further, and is doing her best to stop Cato from coming after me. And with that, I turn, clutching the arrow in my small hands, and disappear into the shadows of the forest.

* * *

**_A/N_**

**_Sorry it has been so long since I last updated. Been pretty busy since school started back up. But do not worry, I will get back on top of things. Thanks for reading. Expect the next chapter to be up on Friday or Saturday of this week. _**

**_- Charlotte :)_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N**_

_**Hey! I am so happy about all the positive reviews I got! Thank you so much! You all are awesome. So, hopefully, this chapter doesn't ruin that. Also, I am going to get a little creative and throw in a part of the actual books ending now, but change it up a bit. So try not to be too surprised.**_

_**Just a reminder that I do not own The Hunger Games or any of the characters within the book. All credit goes to Suzanne Collins, for creating the perfect people and the world of Panem. **_

* * *

_Chapter Eight: The Beast_

**Cato POV**

"What the hell? Where did she go?!" I yell, infuriated. That idiotic girl let our target get away. And to think I almost respected her for being so exceptionally skilled. I thought she was supposed to be good at using that damn bow!

Katniss scowls, her breaths heavy and uneven as she replies to me in an annoyed voice. "I did my best, okay?! She jumped out of the way of where I had originally aimed. I got her arm instead. Besides, what does it matter if she is still alive? She is twelve, Cato. She can't survive much longer."

I had to admit, Fire Girl was some what right. What chance did a little girl have against trained professionals? It made enough sense. But it didn't change the fact that I was furious. Katniss could have killed her. Could have gotten it out of the way.

She just didn't want to kill the girl because she was kid. Katniss is weak. Nothing like the Careers. I don't even understand why I am letting her stay with us. I could kill her no problem right now. It would be simple. But that wouldn't be very entertaining for the viewer, would it? I had to run my plan over in my head to stop myself from killing her out of anger. I cannot lose control right now. Keep calm.

But some things were inescapable.

I should have ran faster. I should have looked harder in the trees. The little girl would be dead right now, and Katniss would not get all the glory. Even if all she did was just wound her. Certainly the the girl will die of infection if she is without an ally. But who am I kidding? Being a little kid, she probably has all of Panem on her side! Most of the tributes will flock to her and try to save her life.

If the girl dies from this, it is Katniss who killed her.

If the girl dies from this, it is Katniss who will be praised.

If the girl dies from this, Katniss Everdeen will be dead to me.

I refuse to be overlooked because this District Twelve scum is shooting arrows effortlessly and ending lives here and there and everywhere. All of my allies are started to enjoy her company. They like her in the alliance. But I will not stoop that low.

Katniss Everdeen is _not_ my ally. She is merely a play thing.

I am toying with her. And she is believing everything I say. That she will be treated as one of us. That she will make it close to the end. It is all a lie.

When it is down to the Careers and one or two outsiders, the Girl on Fire will be dead. I have talked it over with the others already. They all agree. Even if it hadn't been approved by them, I would still do it. Because their opinions don't matter. I am going to do whatever it takes to win.

Without giving much thought to it, I snatch the arrows from the quiver on Katniss' back. "I don't think you will be needing this."

A small gasp escapes her, in a startled kind of way. Obviously, I had caught her by surprise. But in all honestly, she didn't deserve to have her weapon of choice at the moment. I know what she did. She did it on purpose. Katniss is easy to read. Between the look of fear when she spotted the tiny tribute and the "missed" shot, it isn't hard to connect the dots. Fire Girl let the target get away on purpose.

While Katniss panicked, I yanked the bow from her grip. What's the use in having a bow with no arrows? "If you _ever_ pull a stunt like that again, I will end you."

The brunette just stood there, scowling at me. She did not look confused, or sad, or scared. She was angry. But what did I care? She let our target get away. It was her fault. Katniss Everdeen must be punished. And this is why I have taken her stupid toys.

Growling, Katniss takes the quiver off of her back and hands it to me. Of course it confuses me, but I mask it rather well by taking it from her and shoving the arrows back into it. What really startles me though, is her reaction to all of it afterward.

"I don't need a bow to win. I'm smarter than you, Cato. I don't think you even have a brain in that thick skull of yours," she spats. I wasn't angry at all. Simply confused on an extreme level. I thought she couldn't live without that bow. It seems as though she is smarter than I thought. Must have learned how to use a different weapon during training while we were not paying attention. Or maybe she is just trying to fool me.

It isn't going to work.

I let out a dark chuckle, shaking my head at the Fire Girl. "Good luck with that, princess."

With that, I turn and walk towards the others, who were beginning to get restless. They were either leaning against a tree or laying on the ground, talking quietly among themselves. It was stupid how friendly they were being with each other. The only one who was partially closed off was Clove. Smart girl, that one. If she lives, District Two will have an excellent victor this year. Too bad she won't make it. And I don't really want to be the one to kill her. Clove is my best friend. Hard to destroy someone you have known your entire life.

I shake the thought, walking straight to Caterina. She was tough, I'll hand her that, but the girl couldn't do anything with a spear, and a knife was only useful to her if she was up close. So why not help her out? I mean, she is my ally after all. And a very good one at that.

Trying not to seem frustrated, I hold the bow and sheath of arrows out to her. She seemed confused at first, then happily accepted them. Of course she knew that they belonged to another Career member, but what does it matter if she is gaining a useful weapon to defend herself. If anything, she will be even more useful now than she was before.

Reasoning obviously did not matter to me, and Caterina learned this quickly as I turned away from her just as quickly as I had approached. It was time to move on. We couldn't stand around in one area all day, burning daylight. Relaxing will not find any others. And I would very much like to end this whole game quickly. Home awaits.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

He took my bow.

The one thing that I knew could get me through this whole thing. I could have made it. I could have won. If that bow was still in my possession. It would have been so much easier.

But no. I will not give up yet. It is still early in these Games. I am sure that there is a way I can make it. Make my own bow, maybe. I've done it before. Not too hard. But will I be able to do that without the almighty leader stopping me?

What is his deal anyways? Is he so obsessed with the thought of winning that he can't give anyone else a chance to try? What I did earlier was right. Rue did not deserve to die. I gave her the chance she needed. Sure, it will be nearly impossible to make it past the Careers, or what's left of them, but if she has made the right allies, she could do it. I will not think negatively.

It is only the third day, after all.

"Let's get moving! We still have a lot to do before we can even _think_ about rest!" The leader barks at the others, hauling them to their feet. He is a definite psychopath. Why did I even agree to being in this alliance again?

Oh right, because it would get me closer to the end.

But how am I to be sure that they are not just going to kill me off the first chance they get? What if I am really not a part of this group? Should I even be worrying about this right now?

I grit my teeth, watching as the other Careers begin their trek in a different direction. _At least I still have that blow gun, _I think to myself. I'll be alright. As long as I have some form of protection. Nothing too bad could happen. I also have a pocket knife in my boot. So I'm all set.

I'll get my bow back if it's the last thing I do.

Griping the strap of my blow gun, I follow after my allies, not wanting to get too close but not wanting to be too far away. I try my best not to sulk as my eyes find the silver bow in the hands of one of the nicest of my allies. Caterina seems to be pretty comfortable with a useful weapon, not at all frightened at the fact that she will have to teach herself how to use it quickly. Or maybe she already knew how to use it... There wasn't too much that I knew about the others.

Although, I'd rather not know everything about them. Just the things that could help me win. Like weaknesses. That would be very helpful, however, I don't know how I would gather information like that. It would be pretty hard to come across. I'd really have to listen to them. Or talk individually to each one. That might work. Maybe.

I really had no idea what I was doing. But whatever. Improvisation.

My eyes had been set on that bow for so long that I hadn't realized that someone was missing out of our group. There were only five, out of the six of us. Glancing around, I search for the one who is missing. Cato was still walking, probably not having noticed the absence of one of our allies, Clove was right beside him. Marvel walked directly behind Cato, and Caterina was just a few feet in front of me.

_Glimmer._

And that's when I heard a canon. There was no scream. No muffled cry. No sounds of struggle. Just a canon.

So I panicked.

If it was Glimmer who died, how was she slipped away so quickly and without our notice? She was walking right beside me. Normally she would be further up with the others, but she had something in her shoe that she was trying to get out. I wasn't paying very close attention to the others, so maybe that's how she was pulled away. But then again, wouldn't she have been a little louder? Nothing really made much sense.

I stopped walking and turned a full 360, scoping out the area. If someone was able to kill one of us so easily, would they be continuing to do so?

Without consulting the others, I begin to head back in the opposite direction of the Careers' travel to see if I could find Glimmer. She really wasn't one to die willingly. She never did anything willingly. There must have been something to show signs of struggle. Somewhere.

It truly made no sense. Who could do this without making the other cry out in pain or struggle against them? Maybe they got some kind of smoke that knocked Glimmer out? But that would have knocked all of us out. Perhaps a dart of some sort? However, I have the only blow gun... Unless they got something from their sponsors.

So confusing.

My head spun as I walked cautiously back the way we came, trying to remember the last place I looked over to Glimmer. It was about an hour away from the spot I had seen Rue. So maybe not too much further. I didn't look at my ally hardly at all. This was going to be difficult.

"Katniss?" And here we go.

...

About 30 minutes later, I was still going strong.

Cato had caught up to me, told me that he instructed the others to set up camp. I don't understand why he insisted that he join me. Perhaps he just didn't trust me. That was most likely the reason. But I don't blame him. I don't trust me either.

He kept insisting that we go back, being a snob about it, but I refused. There had been no hovercraft yet, at least from what I had seen. Perhaps Glimmer and her opponent fought and killed each other, and only one is dead. Maybe Glimmer is fighting for her life. I didn't know for sure.

Then I saw it. It was small, and hard to see. But I caught a glimpse of the dull red color simply as it stood out against the light green grass. Just a little bit. Not too much, and not enough for it to be easily spotted. A small droplet of blood lay on the ground only two steps away. My eyes widened, unsure of what to do or where to go from here. There had to be something to show me the way. A trail of blood, maybe?

I scanned the entire area, no longer concerned with Cato and his constant nagging.

It was hard to figure out where to go, but simple once I found the right clue. A slight indention in the grass, the width of a body. Someone, most likely Glimmer, had been dragged across the forest floor. And once again, without informing Cato, I ran in the direction of the tracks. Here and there I saw a bloody paw print, which was odd, really. I wasn't aware that there were carnivores in this arena. I suppose the Gamemakers have decided to add in an extra challenge. Great.

Huffing, I continue on the path, remaining aware of my surroundings. I listen closely, clutching the handle of my pocket knife tightly. I could hear soft footfalls behind me, assumed to be Cato, following in my lead. He had stopped talking, and seemed to be will to let me be in charge. After all, Cato was not a very good tracker. And of course he would want to find out what took Glimmer away. Because it could potentially take one of us as well.

Then, a canon.

Must be either Glimmer or a different tribute, being killed by whatever took my ally. Or maybe it was just the other Careers picking off someone that got too close to the camp.

My heart stopped when I broke through the bushes in front of me.

A pool of blood surrounded a long figure with golden hair. The girl had been torn to shreds. Claw marks were all over her body, her clothes ripped and tattered. A chewed shoe lay only a yard away from the body, the other beside her. Cold blue eyes were opened wide, as if she was still alive. But they were dead. Cold and dead. The bright, rosy color of her cheeks had vanished. Her jaw had been practically torn off. At the sight of her esophagus torn out of her slender neck and laying across her neck, I almost threw up. Her chest had been ripped up so bad, I could see her ribs. Her toes were gone, as were the fingers on her left hand. The only spot let untouched was her right hand. Everything else was destroyed.

Glimmer had died only a minute ago. She had to have suffered.

Not far from her body was another pool of blood, and a groove in the grass. _That must be where the other tribute died...,_ I thought to myself, wondering who it could have been.

I walk up to the body carefully, making sure to check the entire area around us to be sure the creature who attacked her was no longer present. Curiously, I picked up her right hand and examined it, making sure not to look at her grotesque features. Her hand was cold, with only a single trail of blood on it from her arm. There was a single puncture wound on her palm that was bloodstained from a thin line of her former warm inner liquid. There was a ring of neon green around it. Seemed to be a small prick. A little stab. Perhaps a sort of serum that poisoned her. Or something to put her to sleep.

"Katniss, look out!" I had completely forgotten about Cato being behind me, and I was startled to hear his voice raise above my thoughts. He seemed to be scared, in one way or the other. Whipping around, my eyes fall on a strange creature barreling towards me. It was a wolf of a jet black color. Or at least... a mutation. It had two long bloodstained fangs, like a venomous snake, and a tail that stretched almost three feet. At the very tip of its tail was a spike. A spike that looked to be an inch long. The fur on the creatures back stood up, and evil glowed in its abyss eyes.

It wasn't until the mutant was ten feet away from me that I realized I needed to run.

I scrambled to my feet, and began to run back towards a frightened Cato. My heart raced as I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, afraid for my life. Was this how I am going to die? A gruesome, slow, painful, and bloody death? How horrible is this going to be? I couldn't die now. I couldn't. I promised Prim I would make it back. There is no way I will be giving up this early in the Games. I still had a chance.

Running past my ally, who was currently fumbling around with his sword, I flip open my pocket knife and glance over my shoulder. The creature was now a yard away from me. Hopefully, the practice with knife throwing has paid off.

I stop in my tracks, taking in a deep breath. Now is not the time to be a coward. Turning around, I pull the knife up to my ear and fling it forward with as much force as I can towards the charging beast. The only thing I can do is watch and wait.

The only thing I can do is watch in horror as the knife sticks into the tough hide of the creature. Watch as it is unaffected by the weapon. Watch as it bounds closer and closer to me with every passing second. Time seems to slow. My heart pounds in my ears. This was it. This is how I was going to die. My body was going to be sprawled out on the ground like Glimmers. My skin was going to be torn in every way. I was going to die a slow, painful death. I'm sure Cato has fled by now. Or perhaps he is watching in amusement as the mutant prepares to shred up my body. What does it matter anyways? I am going to die and he is going to have a chance to win.

Then the pain comes. The wolfs tail had whipped around and the blade on the tip had entered my palm. A shock wave of pain floods through my body, making me inhale sharply, almost like a gasp. Then it's over. In a way.

I slump to the ground, my limps going completely numb. They were impossible to move at all. No matter how hard I tried. My mind raced, thinking of all the things I could be doing to keep myself alive. I couldn't even call for help. My voice was gone. No wonder we didn't hear Glimmer. Taking in a deep breath, I relax into the ground and wait as the beast climbs on top of me. Growls grow faint as my hearing fades. There was nothing I could do now. It was over.

_I'm so sorry, Prim..._

Then it all goes black.

* * *

**Cato POV**

My heart was pounding out of my chest. I could feel it trying to get out of it's cage to escape reality. What was happening? Whatever it was, I was panicking because of it. The handle of my sword was slippery from nervous sweat. And I didn't know why. Why was I so afraid? It wasn't after me. It was after...

"KATNISS!" I watched with wide eyes as the black demon striked her with it's poison blade. I gripped my sword tighter and rushed forward, unsure of what I planned to do. The creature wasn't much bigger than the average wolf. So it couldn't really be that hard. First thing's first, the tail goes.

From a distance, I could see a ring forming around the wound on Katniss' palm as she passed out, obvious incapable of movement. I could see the fear in her eyes as the venom consumed her. My breathing quickened as her eyes shut and the demon unhinged it's large jaw to begin it's handy work on her. I didn't know what to do. Should I run back to the camp and pray that it didn't come after us? Or stay? I couldn't figure it out.

But as soon as the sharp teeth of the mutant clamped down on Katniss' arm, instinct took over. I flung myself on the large creature, sending a fist into it's throat so it will release the girls limp arm. Luckily, it does as planned and loosens it's grip. But this is the hard part. It's new target is me, of course. I have practically asked it to destroy me. But I'm sorry. My time is not now. I yank the knife from it's shoulder where Katniss hit, and twist around to chop of the demons bladed tail. I will not be poisoned any time soon.

A roar of pain escapes the creature, and it immediately began thrashing around in my grip. It snaps at me, it's fangs skimming my arm slightly. It didn't hurt. I didn't have time to waste. With another strong stroke, I sank the knife through the hide of the animal and into it's back. This earns another cry from it. However, I don't have time to stick it again, because it has knocked my over and is now making its way on top of me, teeth bared.

But if it thinks that it will win, yeah right. I use my feet to launch it up and over my head, earning my a sharp bite to the nose. The adrenaline surging through my veins allowed me to feel nothing, so for that I am eternally grateful. Jumping to my feet, I send a foot into its chest. In return, the animal closes its teeth around my ankle tugging on it harshly and thrashing around. I yelp in pain, biting down on my lip. But this is not the end. I glance over my shoulder at the limp body of Katniss Everdeen, just waiting to be preyed upon, and knew I had to do something. If this thing doesn't go, she does. And at the moment, that doesn't sound very good to me. Because right now, I am feeling fairly protective of her.

I pull up my sword and start swinging, not really aiming for certain parts of the body. All I want is for it to die. The blade comes down first on it's mid back, putting all my energy into the blow. Without waiting, I jerk it from it's deep cut and swing again to hit it in the side. Howls escape the beast, but it doesn't give up. It continues to tear at me as I slice it up. Bite after bite. Scratch after scratch. The mutant does not stop. No matter how much I hit it with. But I have to keep trying. It's the only way to get out of this.

My sword, now covered in the demons blood, comes down on it's neck, causing it to collapse. Now is my chance. I hold the weapon up vertically, and thrust it down into the dying body with as much force as I can. Cries continue to attack the air around us, but no matter how much it seems to die, I keep going. I have to be sure. My sword enters and leaves the wolf-like body repeatedly, and I watch as the life leaves its deep black eyes. To be completely sure, I give it one last stab. Right through the eye.

I stand there for a moment, staring down at the dead mutant. It was completely demolished. But then again, so was I. Thin cuts ran along my legs and arms, along with the wound on my nose. Not deep enough to be extremely dangerous, but not small enough to be harmless. I had to get this cleaned up.

Removing my sword from the body, I run back over to where Katniss lay. She was still, as if she were dead. The only distinction was the fact that her chest rose and fell, and her cheeks were not dull. I could see the life in her. And even with being almost paralyzed, she looked kinda peaceful. Which was a decent look for her.

Thunder rumbles, sending a vibration through the ground.

It was going to rain soon, and it would be best to seek out shelter for the night. In the morning, we will find the others. So I scoop up the brunette, clutching her tight against me to provide some sort of heat. I didn't know what would make this serum wear off, but it had to soon. If it didn't, I'd have to kill her. And like I said, I feel some what attached to her at the moment.

I begin to walk towards the stream, looking for a good water source since I failed to bring some along with me. Lucky for me, Katniss had most of the iodine bottles in her pack. Perhaps there will be somewhere that we can stay during the storm. Hopefully. If there is one thing I don't want to have to deal with right now, it would be sleeping in the rain. Especially when that mutant could have friends.

...

Rain is starting to fall, not quite too heavy yet, but just enough to annoy the crap out of me. I continue walking along the stream in search of shelter. I have long since forgotten the location of the others, but it won't be hard to find the base camp in the morning. It was already getting dark, and even not knowing the exact time, it had to be about seven o'clock.

I glance down at the limp girl in my arms and sigh, my eyes skimming her every feature. One arm lay across her stomach, the other one dangling at her side. Her head was propped up on my arm, her face hidden. The long brown braid draped across her flushed cheeks, covering up the dainty nose and small set of lips that rest on her face. Droplets of water streamed down her skin, leaving a wet trail across her features. I bit my lip, trying to keep the thoughts out. I couldn't be going soft. I just couldn't. Especially not with the Fire Girl.

To try and forget, I look away from her and resume my search for shelter. Even with my burning rivalry with this girl, I couldn't help but admit that she is indeed beautiful. No wonder her boyfriend likes her so much. That Mellark kid must have fallen for her rather quickly. Yet somehow, I could feel my heart rate quickening, and my face felt like it was on fire. My gut twisted, and I had to take in a deep breath to gain my sanity back.

Now is not the time for this. I am the the Hunger Games for goodness sake! Only one gets out of here. I can't let myself grow on Everdeen. She is just another competitor. Just another pawn. I will be the victor. And that it that.

It wasn't too much longer that I found somewhere dry to sleep. I walked into the rather large cave, glancing around. It was good enough for the night. By now, the rain was pouring. I was drenched, as was Katniss. She was still asleep, and I wasn't really sure how long it would take for her to wake up. Hopefully soon.

I set her down on the ground and walk around the cave in search of some wood. There wasn't much. But luckily, I found a few pieces that could get us through the coldest part of the night. Just enough to heat up our wet bodies.

Using a match from my pack, I set up a fire in the fairly dry cave. The ground was cold, but no matter. I could handle it.

Before I settled for the night, I lay the warmest sleeping bag I had over Katniss, trying to bring her back to consciousness. She had a bloody bite on her upper arm that needed treating, as did I. But I could worry about me later. Right now, I would like to help out my ally. Besides, my wounds weren't too bad.

As I disinfected the bite wound and dressed it, I watched the sky through the rain. The faces of the fallen lit up the fake night sky. Glimmer and the crippled boy from ten. Both killed by the mutation that had attacked Katniss and I. It must have been horrible for them. They had to lay there, immobilized, and take the pain that the monster gave. They died slowly. Slowly and painfully. What a horrible way to leave the world. Anything would be better than that.

There was one spot that I needed to clean up the most. Her palm. The ring of green bothered me so much. Perhaps if I fixed it up, she would come to. I take out a disinfectant and swipe it over the entry wound and across the ring of green. No matter how hard I scrubbed, the ring did not disappear. But from the wound came a liquid that looked about the same color as the ring. Perhaps a little darker. It had to be in her bloodstream now. If anything, it will wear off in a few hours. The red blood cells can take care of that for us. So I go about wrapping it up and making sure all bandages are secure.

Once finished with fixing up Katniss, I went to tending to my own wounds. Really, all I needed to do was clean them. There was one fairly deep claw mark on my leg, but other than that, they were all surface wounds. Not too big of a deal. I went about my business for the night, eating, warming up, watching the rain. It was peaceful. I could be alone in a way. With the Fire Girl sleeping soundly on the other side of the fire, I didn't have to worry about other bothering me.

But without a thing to think about, I just lay down and stare into the fire. Or rather, past the fire. Past the fire and right into the soul of Katniss Everdeen, wondering what is running through her head at this very moment. Or if she even really is able to think. I huff out a breath, closing my eyes slowly as sleep begins to consume me. I don't have to bother with watch tonight. After all, I am a fairly light sleeper. If anyone attempted to kill us, I'd be up with no problem.

I relax into the cool rocky earth, feeling the heat of the flickering fire on my face and the comforting presence of one of my biggest threats in these Games. And just as I slip into rest...

A canon goes off.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**So that was chapter eight! I hope you enjoyed it! I actually had a lot of fun writing this. I tried to make it a little more interesting. Can't wait to see who it is that died that night! But I will tell you this right now, it is someone we have been interacting with. Okay so, please tell me what you thought of this chapter, because I feel like it's the best I have written by far. Thanks again for reading!**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N _**

**_Thank you all for the positive feedback! It made me feel really good about myself. So thanks. Sorry it took so long to update. I've been really busy lately and have had major writer's block. This chapter will be interesting, I think. I'm gonna get rid of a few more tributes. I don't even know who is going to die yet. I'm probably just going to go with it and see what happens. Your guesses were really good, however, I'm not getting rid of Clove or Peeta that quickly. Okay, so, chapter nine everyone. _**

* * *

_Chapter Nine: Caged_

**Clove POV**

It was _raining._ Of all things that could have happened. The Gamemakers decided that it was best for us to sit in the dark. In the rain. Without shelter. Nice. After all, Cato had left us in the middle of the woods with no tents or anything. All of that is back at the base camp. So now what was I going to do? I am drenched to the bone. Shivering in the cold. There is no possible way that this night could get any worse.

Of course, Cato and Katniss had not come back. We all knew Glimmer was dead, now that we had seen her face in the sky. And to be quite honest, all three of us were extremely relieved that the brat was gone. I was growing tired of her constant complaining.

But I had thought that Cato of all people would make sure he got back to camp. Even if he came without the Fire Girl. He didn't value her life. So why did he even bother to go with her? She probably would have died anyways. She would die without us. We are the only people keeping her alive. And that's exactly why she hasn't tried to escape the alliance. The girl is just a pitiful, useless chick with no survival skills. Just because she got an eleven in training scores and she has a deadly aim doesn't mean she is a survivor. Killing people is one thing. Eating is another. What about keeping herself from getting killed? Shelter? Without us, she would be dead right now.

Although, even with us, we are still the enemy. She can't prevent that. At the end of the Games, Cato will skin her, then he will win. I know it. It's obvious that I will not make it. There are too many that are stronger than I. However, I don't let anyone see that in my face. My face is a mask. It is void of personal emotion. Nothing will ever make me crack. I am too strong mentally for that. And trust me, I've had some practice._  
_

The Games are important to me for numerous reasons.

1. It will help to prove my worth to my abusive parents.

2. It gives me a way to put off steam. Supplies me with living, breathing targets to take my anger off on.

3. I get away from my parents.

4. The pressure of my life disappears.

5. I get to do what I want, when I want to do it.

So for me, whether I live or die, I belong in this arena. It makes me feel alive. Besides, who will really care if I died? The only friends I have ever had was Cato and Delia, back in Two. Delia and I were best friends. She threw a knife just as good as I did. She was the closest I have ever come to family. My real family didn't count. They treated me as if I was an animal, there for their amusement. Nothing I did could earn their respect. But I have grown to accept it and am actually very used to it.

I'm just happy to be away.

The fire had burnt out a long time ago. Mainly because of the rain. Stupid rain. How could this get any worse? I hated the cold so much that it's annoying. The only one here that is actually able to sleep is Marvel. What a loser. He's not useful for anything. Just an outcast. He thinks he's important in these Games, but who is he kidding? I'm sure hardly anyone is sponsoring that goof.

Glancing around, I could clearly see Caterina clutching at her arms, shivering so much that it was scary. She was not a very useful ally, but she was better than the tributes from the first district. Then, as I said before, Marvel is passed out on the forest floor, looking as if he was resting on his luxurious king sized water bed. Or whatever they have in One.

It has been four hour since Cato left, and to be quite honest, I was worried. He really should have been back by now. If he was even alive. The Gamemakers hadn't showed who had died yet. So we had no idea who it was that had lost these Games. But I had a gut feeling that I should go find him.

If I could find him, we were safer. Not that we weren't already safe. But perhaps we would be better off with him. I'm sure that is the case as of now.

With a sudden burst of energy, I jump to my feet, looking over to Caterina. Her eyes dart up to me as she sees the abrupt movement, and nods in understanding. Man, I love it when people know what I'm thinking. She grabs her bow and gets to her feet while I deal with Marvel. He should be easy to wake.

I whip out a knife and fling it at him as hard as I can, hitting the ground only inches from his face. I suppose it hit hard enough, because Marvel's eyes flick open with a start, obviously scared like crap. Good. He sits up and grabs the knife, a disgusted look on his face. "Really?! Does the word _ally_ mean anything to you?!"

"Of course it does. But I had to wake you up somehow." I almost had to yell over the pounding rain. So annoying.

Marvel snorts, standing up and snatching his spear from the ground. "What happened to a good ole fashioned, 'Hey, Marvel, wake up'?"

This makes me laugh, shaking my head in protest. "In your dreams. I'm sure everyone knows that I have never been _good_."

As I begin to move on, the others follow, knowing that for now, I am in charge. I have always been second in charge. After all, I am one of the best. At least, one of the most useful. Lately, Cato has only been paying attention to Fire Girl. He seems so interested in her for some reason. And whatever the reason is, it's stupid. Katniss isn't special at all. Not one bit! She can hardly do anything, whereas I am capable of everything. A desperate girl from Twelve does not belong in the Career alliance. I am still in shock that Cato even let the thought of her joining cross his mind.

It's absolutely absurd.

I cannot wait until the Girl on Fire dies. And if Cato doesn't kill her, I'll do it myself. She is worthless. Especially now, when Caterina has the bow in her possession. Pathetic girl. Not only that, but she stole most of my sponsors! How dare she! It's one thing to show me up, it's another to steal any chance of me making it out of here. Of course, I know I won't, but still.

"Where are we going?" Caterina's voice interrupted my thoughts in the most annoying way possible. She didn't have the first clue about what stealth meant. For that, I refused to answer, leaving her to her own thoughts as she tried to figure out where we were going. The girl really can't be that stupid. Obviously we are heading in the direction that Cato had gone when he left us. At least... that's what I think.

Honestly, I am not much of a tracker. It had been easier when Cato was with us. We worked as a team. Like he was the left brain and I was the right. So right now, I was only guessing that this was the way that Cato had gone. Hopefully I was right about it. I don't want to waste our time like some people I know.

Rain hit my skin like bullets. It was so dark that I could hardly see. I walked aimlessly through the gradually thinning woods, searching for some sign of Cato, or maybe even Katniss. The others were sluggishly walking behind me, one on each side. It was obvious that I was the one in charge now. Since Cato was gone, I was the one the others would follow around like lost puppies. Great.

Suddenly, the anthem was playing. I stopped in my tracks and looked to the sky, making sure that Cato was not one that was now deceased. I held my breath, watching as faces came and went. The boy that Katniss killed, Glimmer, and the boy from District 10. Cato was still alive. And to my disappointment, so was Katniss.

Nodding, I turn back to the way I was walking only to stop short of step. It was only black. No trees, no ground, just a pit of nothing. I flick on my flashlight, directing it in front of me. About 3 feet ahead, the ground drops off. It drops off into a chasm. The water below roared above the sound of pounding rain. Sharp, jagged rocks stand, just waiting to take their first victim.

I take a step back, opening my mouth to inform the others. But it seemed as though they had found out on their own.

"Come on, let's get moving! Cato isn't gonna find hi-" Caterina's words cut off as she took a step too close to the edge. With the grass wet from the rain, she lost her footing. And down she went. A blood curdling scream was heard, but her body could not be seen any longer. Marvel and I gave each other shocked looks as her canon sounds. The fall had lasted about ten seconds.

Caterina's face showed in the sky, declaring her death to the tributes. Welp, seven to go.

Just as Marvel was about to turn and keep moving, I grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back in place. Shooting him a look, I aim my flashlight down at the sides of the cliff, searching for a way down.

"Where did you think you were going?" I ask him, walking along the edge, being careful where I place my feet. The rain was coming down hard, and everything was slippery. I had to be extra careful. Seeing what had happened to Caterina.

Marvel huffed, following behind me. "To look for Cato, what about you?"

"We're going down." I say plainly as I spot a ledge about 5 feet below where I stood. I'd have to be very careful, though. Even with the rain letting up, it's still slick. I could very easily loose my footing like little Cat did. And I knew for a fact that it was not time for me to die. I was still in these Games.

Without waiting for Marvel to reply, I sat on the wet earth and began carefully lowering myself onto the ledge below me. Since I was rather short, I had to fall the rest of the way. It was only about a foot and a half between me and the ledge, but I still worried about missing the ground and falling to my death. Couldn't worry about it too much though. I'd probably just jinx myself. That probably wouldn't be good...

Much to my amazement, I land softly on the ledge beneath me.

I turn my head up to Marvel, rain pounding on my icy skin. "Well? Come on!"

"Are you crazy?! We can't go down there!" He paces on the level above me, ranting about how dangerous it was and how it is the reason Caterina was dead in the first place. Although, I didn't hear much of it. I was too busy ignoring him.

I only roll my eyes and search the area for another way down. The bright beam from my flashlight skimmed over each feature of the earth before me. The rain my vision kinda fuzzy, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

Marvel continued to ramble on, even though he reluctantly dropped to the same ledge as me. Wanting to move it along, I jump to a rocky area about three feet away from the end of the ledge. It was risky, going down into the chasm in the middle of the night while it's raining. But hey, it's not like I'm gonna die or anything. I don't think...

Marvel follows suit as I carefully take myself farther down into the chasm and towards Caterina. I could faintly make out the outline of her body. It was rather disturbing, but I've see worse. A sharp, jagged rock had impaled her through the chest. Her arms and legs hung limply at her sides, her eyes opened wide. I narrow my eyes at the gore in front of me, and smirk when I hear Marvel gag. What a pansy.

Once I reach the body, I quickly search around for her supplies. That was the only reason I came down here after all. She had most of the food. Plus, she had a weapon that could in fact be useful to someone else. Lucky for me, her pack had landed on a ledge only a few feet above me. However, the bow was snagged on another rock that was across from Cat. From what I could see, the arrows were scattered everywhere.

"Marvel, get the pack. I'm going for the bow."

And without giving much thought to it, I leap towards one of the jagged rocks.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

Pain.

A massive headache.

Burning chest.

Twisted gut.

Stiff limbs.

I was in such agonizing pain that I could hardly breath.

But I wasn't dead. Just... weak.

What had happened? Why didn't I die? I thought for sure that I was going to be shred to bits by that creature. Whatever it was. My memory was foggy. I remember hearing snarls from the wolf-like creature, and a yell from... who? I was so confused, and I couldn't find the strength to wake up. I knew I was no longer paralyzed; I could now move my body with ease. It was the waking up that I was having trouble with.

I could feel heat on my face. Hear the crack of a fire and the roaring of the rain. The ground was cold and hard. Like rock. Running my fingers over it, I feel around for a clue of where I might be. The fire indicated that there was someone with me, but how was I to know who? Who would save me? Was it an ally or an enemy? I had to find out, but how was I? I couldn't wake up. Well.. perhaps I could, but I didn't feel like I could. I was just so tired and hurt.

My hand was so sore that I could hardly move it without a shock wave of pain surging up my arm. Perhaps it would be best to just stay asleep. _Relax, Katniss..._, I thought to myself. I tried my hardest.

Then I tensed up again, as soon as the footsteps began to fall. They were heavy and mildly paced. Whoever it was was obviously not in any rush.

I listen carefully, trying to figure out who it was that shared the campsite with me. They made a soft clicking sound with their tongue, and a light tapping on the ground. A quiet sound of effort was made as they moved. I wasn't necessarily sure what they were doing, but it sounded like it hurt. Judging by the deepness of the voice, I came to the conclusion that it was a male tribute. But finding out who it was exactly would be rather difficult. I'd have to wait to find out when I could wake.

Since I was unable to wake, I unwillingly allowed myself to drift off to sleep. Soft words echoing and fading as I fall into a deep slumber.

"Hope is never far away..."

* * *

**Cato POV**

My thoughts were aimless. In all honesty, I wasn't even thinking. I was just... waiting. For what, I wasn't sure. Whether it was for someone to arrive, a new storm to come, another challenge to face, or a death.

When I was younger, I didn't think much of the hardships that comes before the glory. All I saw was a tribute turned victor, standing proud and tall in the middle of a now vacant arena. The victorious yells and battle cries. I was drawn to the fact that winning would bring not only respect, but honor. I would finally be able to make my parents proud. I would finally be able to get the weight of my successful family off my back. My sister, Lyra, would stop pushing me to train day in and day out. My brother, Cletus, would stop throwing me around like a worthless toy. Because I was inferrior to them, I needed to step up and prove my worth to the ones who I hold dear. No matter how much they hurt me with harsh words and actions, I looked up to them.

So from there, I began training harder I ever had. From 4:00 in the morning to 11:00 at night, I was in the Academy, chopping up the dummies and throwing around hatchets and spears. I lifted 45 pound weights when I was 12, and eventually worked up to now, when I lifted 150 pound weights every day. I ran 50 laps around the entire district, every day. I was intimidating to the older kids when I was only 14. I was stronger. I was faster. I was smarter. The others cowered when I walked in the room. They looked at me with respect, though. I was accepted into the great circle of neophyte gladiators. They taught me more. I grew to be merciless. To be heartless. I did not give mercy.

I enjoyed being the one to win. I loved the feeling of destroying my opponent. I brushed them aside as easily as my brother had done to me when I was young. My parents acknowledged my effort, yet, they always favored my siblings more than I. Lyra was a Peacekeeper at the age of 15. She began as the earliest to join the Peacekeepers in the history of District Two. She did not give a second thought to take down one that was disobeying the Capitol. To her, this was fun. She enjoyed it. Cletus made his own weapons. They were not only dangerous, but they were better than the ones the Capitol makes. His weapons scared off all his friends. But according to him, friends meant nothing. All they did was get in the way. He was just as emotionless as Lyra.

Because my parents admired my siblings, I took traits from them. I showed no emotion. Not sorrow or joy, and hardly any anger. Anger was the one thing that I did not have to contain. But I did anyways. Because if I didn't, all my emotion would flow out through anger. People would die at the drop of a hat. It wasn't safe. So I kept it in. I learned to enjoy taking lives. I smiled at the thought of death. Laughed at one's suffering. Bathed in the rich scent of freshly drawn blood. It was the one thing I could do to earn my parents respect. And in some ways, it worked. Not only did it bring my family closer to me, it allowed me to block out all thoughts of even _wanting_ them to accept me. Killing was, in some ways, like a drug to me. I got hooked very quickly.

But now, I wondered if it was even worth it. Because when I think about it... what about all the others? The ones that are already dead and the ones that are struggling to stay alive. What about _their_ families? What about _their_ thoughts and actions and words and feelings? Their hearts. Their friends. What about that little girl the Katniss saved earlier? That little boy that I slaughtered two days before? That girl I decapitated? All the ones I stole the life from. I yanked it away without a second thought.

It's my fault they are dead. My fault their families are grieving at this moment. My fault their district is at loss. And all this time I believed what I was doing was the best for everyone. But it's not. I'm not a killer... I'm not. That's not who I am! I'm not a monster or a murderer. I had friends. Real friends, who liked me for who I am. The outgoing, smart kid with a heart for life. I used to climb over the stone wall surrounding the district and read books about dragon slayers, heroic soldiers, and fair maidens in the trees. I liked to sit on the roof and draw the moon. I was everything that I'm not now. I didn't like weapons. I got queasy at the sight of blood. I didn't want to train at the Academy.

But look at where I am now.

I'm a warrior. A soldier. A gladiator. I am a different person.

Yet, it's not who I want to be.

But who am I kidding? It's not like I can change back to a sensitive, carefree kid in the middle of the Hunger Games. Might as well embrace who I am as of now. In this moment, I am still the intimidating brute from District Two, here to take down all who stand in my way. I am here to bring glory and honor to my home. This is the way it has to be. But once I'm home... I can't ever be myself again.

Why was this so difficult? My head is spinning, my heart is racing, and not with adrenaline. It's because of confusion. The kind of confusion that I've hardly ever had to experience. Would it be best to just stay the same? Just for now? If I can block out all thoughts of regrets and unnecessary emotion, maybe I can make it through the Games. That might work...

All of the sudden, something appears outside the cave. It falls to the ground slowly, but is getting battered and thrown around on the way by the wind and the rain. I get to my feet, running to the entrance of the cave to get a better look. The object is a medium sized green bag, with a larger parachute attached to it. A gift from a sponsor! It was my first one in these Games, and to be honest, I was extremely excited.

I reach out as the parachute comes closer, stretching out into the rain. It was getting pushed this way and that, completely off course. But I was going to catch it. Who cares if I got wet?

Jumping out into the rain, I continue to try and snag the bag from the air. It was difficult, because the wind kept moving it around. But after about five minutes, I was able to catch it, and at that point, I was pretty far from the cave. I had to jog back, because it was raining and cold, and because I had left Katniss all alone. She couldn't really defend herself is someone came in.

When I entered the warm, dry cave, I could see Katniss trying to move around. It was going pretty well. Her fingers tapped the ground and her head was turning from side to side. But she wasn't awake. Perhaps she was just having some sort of bad dream. I shrug it off, going to sit by the fire to see what is in this bag of mine.

Curiosity washed over me as I began to unzip the big green bag. What was going to be in here? It was big enough to hold weapons, but not heavy enough. So really, it's not what I'd like it to be. But maybe it is. Whatever is in here, is something I will surely need in the future.

I pick up the note attached to the handle of the bag and try my best to read it. The writing had gotten smeared in the rain. But, I managed to make out a sentence in the midst of streaked black ink. "Hope is never far away..."

Again I shrug, not really knowing what that meant. But whatever. It doesn't really matter right now.

The first thing I saw was a pick-ax. Not necessarily a weapon, so I'd assume I was going to need it for something. Something with rocks. I lift my eyes, examining my surroundings. A cave. Lots of rock here. I shrug, taking the pick-ax out and setting it on the ground beside me. Next was a blanket. It was thick and fuzzy. Made of alpaca wool. Softest and warmest there is. Setting that aside, I reach back into the bag to grab the next thing.

Two flashlights, a few medicines, food, iodine, water bottles, and a first aid kit packed with bandages. It was actually a very helpful gift. I know I will be needing these sometime in these Games.

While packing everything away, I glance up at Katniss, who was once again sleeping peacefully. Her brown hair had come loose from her normal braid, draping over her porcelain forehead. Her normally rosy cheeks were pale from hunger and the cold, and a slight shiver was noticeable. I didn't blame her. It was very cold, and even the fire can't keep us completely warm.

I stand up, walking over to her with the blanket we had just received. Without a second thought, I laid the blanket over her, not wanting my ally to freeze in the night. I don't know why it was such a big deal, but apparently it was. When she was covered, I moved back to my side and laid on the ground. It was about time I got a little bit more sleep before daylight. After all, I don't want to be tired while hunting tributes, and not only that, but I still have to find Clove, Marvel, and Caterina.

* * *

**Katniss POV **

I wake with a start, jerking to an upright position. A loud rumble had awoken me from my sleep, and apparently, it had woken Cato. He looked just as shocked as I did. Shaking off the blanket, I didn't bother to ask about it, I stand up, curiosity over coming me. Perhaps it was for the best that we got moving.

Even if I wasn't in charge, I was for right now. I begin throwing Cato's things in our packs, not daring to look at him. "We should get going."

Without a word, Cato stood up, and began stomping out the remaining embers of the fire. It was hard to believe that he was actually agreeing with me. Well, there is something happening with this mountain anyways...so perhaps that's what he's thinking of. Whatever, it doesn't really matter.

"How are you feeling?" Cato glanced over to me briefly, and he had a look of concern on his face. The question confused me... why would he care? He never did before? And why did he save me? What was the purpose in that? I would have thought that Cato of all people would be one to just abandon me and let me die. But I didn't question him.

Shrugging, I pull a pack onto my back. "Okay I guess."

It probably wasn't the answer he was looking for, but I didn't care right now.

He nods in understanding, running his fingers through his tousled blonde hair. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to make any swooning sounds. No matter how horrible the guy is, he is very attractive. But I can't fall apart. I'm in the Hunger Games for goodness sake! If I let myself melt all over him, I won't be able to kill him. And that has to occur if I am going to go home. I promised Prim I would win. I won't break that promise for some guy.

"We got a gift from a sponsor last night." He adds, trying to make conversation.

I shrug, looking at the green bag he was hauling onto his shoulder. "I noticed."

Then, another rumble came from underneath the mountain. It was larger than before, so large that it caused me to topple over. And it wasn't a very graceful fall. Cato was also having trouble staying on his feet. All the bags he had been holding were now on the ground. I hold onto a stable rock in the cave wall, waiting for the quake to end. But it only got worse.

A loud rumble came from above us, and before I knew it, rocks were falling in front of the cave entrance. My eyes widen in horror, watching helplessly. Bounders fill up the exit, blocking us in. I panic as the last few rocks fall and we are consumed into darkness. We were trapped. I was hyperventilating, my eyes scanning the newly formed rock wall.

"NO!" I run up to it, trying to prying rocks free. This couldn't happen! I had to escape. I wasn't about to die in a cave from hunger or thirst, or whatever it is that could kill me in a cave.

"Katniss." Cato says calmly, his footsteps bouncing off the cave walls, forming a soft echo. He lets out a brief sigh as I turn around, my face frantic and scared. I had only shown fear around him maybe once before. It was hard to control it. But it wasn't hard for him. His face was stolid. No emotion showed. So I tried my best to mimic that. I took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. I had to calm down if we were going to get out of here.

He slipped something in my hand, something hard and cold. I didn't know what it was until Cato flicked a switch. A flashlight. Perfect. Just was we needed. He gestured to the pack he had received last night. Obviously, his mentor and sponsors had equipped him with these supplies because they knew that this was going to happen. Oh great. At least I would be able to survive.

Hopefully we wouldn't be caged up for long.

* * *

**_A/N _**

**_I am SO sorry it took so long to update! My writers block was horrible. And because of it, this chapter is a little rusty. But oh well. Thanks for reading! If you offer suggestions, I will take them into consideration! Chapter 10 will come hopefully by next week. I'll do my best._**

**_- Charlotte :)_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N**_

_**Hello lovelies! I hope you guys are as excited for this chapter as I am! To be honest, I don't even know what is going to happen. But oh well. Here we go! **_

* * *

_Chapter Ten: Alliances _

**Cato POV:**

"Welp..." I shrug, my eyes scanning the newly formed rock wall with absolutely no interest. In all honesty, it didn't surprise me that this happened. The Gamemakers would do something like this. It only makes the Games even more entertaining. Or even more boring. But to me, this was just a minor setback. It couldn't take anymore than a day to dig our way out. I wasn't about to freak out like little miss 'we're going to die cause there is no way out'.

Katniss was pacing back and forth, throwing a fit. She couldn't really think that we were stuck here, could she? I mean, I did get all those supplies to keep us alive in this cave for a few days. We should be able to make it a day or two. Unless I strangle her out of annoyance. She won't shut up. And the way she is so negative about it just upsets me. I have no problem with this. But to the Girl on Fire, it's the end of the world.

"Welp? What does that mean? We are _stuck_ here, mister high-and-mighty. We might not ever get out! And you are over here acting as if someone had just thrown a pebble at you feet! Look around!" She slammed her hand on the cold cave wall, then kicked at the rocks at the entrance. "There is no way out!"

I chuckle, walking over to the bag that was sent to me. Katniss didn't really know that I had this new tool, because I hadn't gotten a chance to show it to her. After all, the first thing she wanted to do when she woke up was leave. But whatever, she never really had to know. I didn't even think I would need it.

"Relax, Fire Girl," Katniss scowled at the name as I spoke, my words coming out harsher than expected, "I got your back."

With that, I pull the iron pick-ax from the bag and hold it high above my head. "Cato has all the answers."

Smirking, I instruct Katniss to go and collect firewood in a deeper part of the cave while I work, but she insists that I join her. Apparently, it could be dangerous going alone. As if. It's just a bunch of rock. What harm could it really do? Other than blocking us off from the world. And of course, that's not even permanent. So in all honesty, nothing bad could really happen to us in here. We're safe.

But to Katniss, this was the end of the world.

I never understood why she worried so much. She was always so serious and freaked out when something went wrong. Even I wasn't that bad, and when things didn't go my way, I was furious. Especially when I've been working my butt off for something. But that's not the point. The point is, Katniss is just weird.

I don't even know if I mean that in a good way or not. It was oh so confusing to me. I never really knew what to think of this girl, and I still don't know what to think. She's just different. I've never met anyone like her.

Ever since I started to be around her more in these Games, I've noticed something about her. No matter how vicious she is, there is always a reason behind it. Although, I'm never quite sure what the reason is. She's definitely not an open book. But perhaps it's better that way. There are probably things that I don't need to know about her.

At her request, I grab the flashlight from her, earning me another scowl. Katniss is not really the take charge type of girl that I thought she was. It confused the heck out of me when she acted like this.

"Let's do this as quick as humanly possible. I want to get out of here." And yet another mood swing, Katniss Everdeen was whining. However, like I expected, it didn't last long.

* * *

**Peeta POV:**

Hunger.

Thirst.

Blood.

Exhaustion.

Fatigue.

No parachutes. No sponsors.

And to add to that, I was responsible for another life. Rue's.

From the very beginning I knew I was going to ally with her. I was going to get her as far as I possibly could. Maybe even get her to win. She doesn't deserve this. I couldn't imagine Katniss' sister being in the Games. It horrified me just to think about it. But I didn't know what to do. How was I supposed to protect her if I can't protect myself?

Rue scavenged for food most of the time, and occasionally a loaf of bread would appear at our feet from the generous hands of an on-again-off-again ally. I appreciated all the help I could get, and when a threat came, I did my best to protect Rue. But for the most part, I just made peace with the tribute. Most of the tributes left in the arena are on my side in one way or the other. Rue, Foxface, and Thresh are the main sources.

Thresh doesn't necessarily come around. He prefers to stay in the tall grasses to the east of the lake near the Cornucopia. And I'm fine with that. He can do what he wants. As long as he is no threat to me or Rue. And of course, why would he harm the one that's keeping his district partner alive? It wouldn't really make much sense if he did. So I'm not the least bit worried about him.

Foxface is harmless. No one's blood has ever touched her hands. She never stays in one spot for longer than a night. The stealthy girl is quick and cunning. She's one of the smartest people I've ever met. I wouldn't be surprised if she won just by waiting out the Games and letting everyone kill each other. Foxface is also fairly good at stealing, as well. She could take a chair right out from under a Career and they wouldn't even know it. Smart girl.

All in all, my allies are the best they get. And really, they're better than the Careers. We don't kill. We survive. And isn't that what these games are about? Surviving? They never said that we _had_ to kill anyone. So why should we?

I'm just glad that I am still alive. That's what matters most.

"Peeta, I found some berries! Look!" A small, cheerful voice is heard behind me, resulting in a wide grin spreading across my features. Swiveling around, my blue eyes set on the tiny dark-skinned girl from Eleven. Her moussy brown eyes beamed brightly, light bursting from them as she presented a handful of red berries to me.

Her arms were extended towards me with palms facing up, almost shoving the new-found food in my face. "They're cherries! Don't worry, I tested them to make sure they weren't poisonous."

"How did you do that, Rue?" I ask with curiosity, sitting down on a rather soggy log. It had been raining for a while now, but Foxface had managed to snatch an unprotected tent from the Career's base camp. And honestly, the rain didn't bother me. It just meant that tributes will be trying to wait it out.

Rue sits down beside me, pulling her jacket tighter around her as a gust of bone rattling wind blew through our camp. "I fed some to a squirrel. It didn't die."

I nod in understanding, admiring her smart ideas. The little girl was right when she had said not to count her out. She was one tough cookie.

Not wanting her to be cold, I usher Rue into the tent and hand her the bag of food. We didn't have a lot, but just enough to keep us alive for the rest of the Games. Couldn't be long now. Of course, there hadn't been a lot of canons going off. I heard one last night, but that was it, really. But hopefully things will pick up again.

"Peeta?" Rue looks up at me with wide curious eyes, something obviously on her mind, "Do you love Katniss?"

My brows furrow at her question. I hadn't even given much thought to it lately. Of course, I had said I did. But do I really? Maybe I did before the Games, but now I wasn't sure. After all, she was a Career now. She was dangerous. my enemy. The predator in these Games. Maybe I could convince her to join our alliance instead. But the strongest in the arena were on her side. How would I even get to her?

Besides, she probably likes it there. Katniss knows they will get her to the end, then all she has to do is take them out. After all, that's what she's good at. Lying to people. Gaining trust. Then shooting them down. How could I even be around her anymore?

"I...I don't know, Rue. It's a lot more complicated than I thought." A frown aligns my once happy face, eyes lowering ever-so-slightly.

Rue lifts her small hand to my shoulder, sensing my inner battle. "If it makes you feel any better, she saved me today."

My eyes automatically shift to look at her, hope blinding me. It sounds like something she would do. Maybe she hasn't changed as much as I want to think.

"The Careers were going to kill me. They saw me while I was scavenging in the trees. But Katniss helped me escape. The others didn't even notice."

Her words struck me hard, but not in a bad way. It was almost as if I had been hit in the face by joy. A jovial feeling washed over me, despite my stolid appearance. Katniss was still on my side. To an extent. The point was, she hadn't changed at all.

* * *

**Foxface POV:**

Thresh was right. Perhaps it wasn't best to go scavenging in the rain. I could hardly see a thing. How exactly was I supposed to find my way back to the others? It was all cold and wet, too. Two things that I just couldn't stand.

I let a huff escape my lips, pushing my strawberry colored hair out of my eyes. It had been a long night. I couldn't find a camp as unprotected as I needed. Of course, there was always the Career base, but I had robbed that clean forever ago. So really, that would be useless.

All the food I have collected was packed tightly into my backpack and wrapped in a waterproof fabric to keep it dry. Thresh tries to take credit for the idea, but in all reality, I had thought about that before it even started raining. I merely did it after the rain had started to pour.

I'm a rather smart girl.

What can I say? My parents are the top engineers in District Five. They once designed an entire power plant by themselves, and they aren't even arcitechs. Long story short, I get pretty much anything I want. But that doesn't mean I'm a stuck up rich kid with frilly clothes like those barbies for One. It only means that I get more food. And with more food, I can donate more to the orphanage. Everybody wins.

My feet slosh through puddles of water, the boots I wore now soaking wet. If anything, I should get out of the rain before I catch a cold. But in a place like this, getting a cold was the last thing on my mind. I was in the Hunger Games for goodness sake. How could it get any worse?

And of course, the Gamemakers could read me like an open book.

A bolt of lightning struck right in front of my feet, causing me to fall back with a loud thud. Fire immediatly ripped up from the ground, heat blazing wildly. A fire in the middle of a downpour was not very realistic, but in the arena, anything is possible.

I quickly get up, the flames spreading rappidly across the wet grass and lapping furiously at my exposed skin. There was no time to think. I had one goal and one goal only. To live. I turned quickly on my heals and sprinted through the opening in the fire, droplets of water evaporating off of my heated skin before I could even blink. However, the rain kept pouring, and the fire raged on.

Dodging fallen trees and leaping over shrubbery I make my way towards the lake, a look of despiration written all over my face. My breathing quickened and my heart soared, but all I could do was keep running. I knew if I just avoided the worst of the flames that I would live. It was all I could do.

Rain hit the ground like hail, sizzling and splashing up into my face.

Tree branches smacked me brutally as I ran by, leaving a new wound for me to worry about later.

The water proof tarp over my bag fell away, exposing my food-filled pack to the rain.

I didn't hesitate to pick it back up and swing my backpack off as I neared the lake, wrapping the remains of it around my source of food. Sweat drizzled down my brow only to disappear seconds later under then intense heat. This was too much for me. At least, I was thinking so. I didn't have a lot of sponsors though, so obviously the Capitol didn't think I could handle the Games either. But what choice did I have? I couldn't really sit around and wait for everyone to die. I was prepared. My plan is to wait, but when the time comes, I will show the world what I'm made of. Nothing can get past me. Not unless I want it to. And so far, I've only wanted that.

With a loud splash, I entered the cool water, clutching my bag to my chest. My breathing slowed slightly, a sigh of relief washing over me like a title wave. I made it, and the only things even close to burns were a few scrapes from the trees.

Turning my head up to the sky, I narrow my emerald hues, giving the Gamemakers a death glare that I took a lot of pride in, "Gee, thanks a lot."

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**Sorry for the long wait and such a short chapter. I've been having trouble keeping up with school work. Hopefully once summer rolls around, I'll have more time to write for you guys. Much love, and thanks for reading. Feel free to review.**_

_**- Charlotte :)**_


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N**

**_After a long M.I.A. session, I am back in business. Sorry for the wait on the last chapter. School gets in the way of everything. Ugh. Also, I had tons of camps this summer, so I will try to post chapters as quickly as I can. If I can. Trust me, I will not abandon you!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

_Chapter Eleven: To Safety_

**Katniss POV:**

I had no idea how long we had been walking. But I know it was not pleasant, or comfortable for that matter. Neither Cato nor I talked the entire time. I didn't know what I was supposed to say to him. No matter what was going on, I still couldn't trust him. I mean... he had saved me and all that, but that doesn't make him any more trust worthy that he had been before. He was still vicious. Deleterious. Insane. He is still the same Cato, as far as I know. And for the record, I'm rather smart.

At least it seems that way...

Anyways. We had been walking through this cave for what seemed like hours. There was no end. No light other than what emitted from the one flashlight that we had, and I was not allowed to eat. Cato came up with the bright idea of preserving our food for when we get out. _If_ we get out. Although Cato seems totally comfortable and confident with this entire situation. I don't know how he does it.

How can he be so level headed? So calm in the midst of something that could potentially kill us? I don't know about him, but I kind of enjoy my life. And if he doesn't... that'd be an enormous surprise, considering the size of his ego.

Sighing, I glance over at the muscular brute, examining his stature curiously. He was alert, as he is on a hunt, his eyes darting from left to right as he searches for something only he would think to look for. Cato's icy blue eyes were always fixated on something important to his survival. He always had something on the brain that determined the outcome of all of our lives. I could see right through those cold irises, but there was always a massive wall right there, and I couldn't get passed it.

It was like trying to solve a puzzle with jagged pieces. There wasn't enough for me to work with. He wouldn't let me in. Or anyone, for that matter. So I decided, like the idiot I am, that I was going to use this moment to try and figure him out.

"How long have you been in training?" My eyes never left Cato, watching as he tensed up at the question. Although, he did not hesitate to answer.

He shrugged, not giving me a single glance. "Since I was about five. But then it was only a half day thing. I wasn't into it."

"What made you get into it?"

"Why do you care?" Just as always, he put up his wall, his eyes narrowing slightly.

I avert my gaze from him as I grab onto a rock and lower myself carefully onto the next level of the cave. The ground was cold and wet. My boots squeaked on top of the damp rock as my feet hit the next level as I let go of the rock I held tightly to so as not to strain myself. The process of movement was a good time filler, because I honestly didn't know how to answer the brute. But to my surprise, I didn't have to.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips, quickly hidden by the echo of his own feet hitting the ground. "I was five when my dad gave me my first sword. He's a victor himself, so he has high expectations of me. But I didn't have any interest in fighting. I didn't even want to be around fights at training. Of course, at that age, training was mainly just learning survival skills." He clears his throat, running his fingers through his blood splattered blonde hair.

It was actually a good look for him... I think...

"Anyways. I used to be one of those kids that was kind of... unsocial, I guess. I didn't have a lot of friends. And back then, my friends were the ones that I avoid now. The ones that hate violence, you know?" I nod thoughtfully, processing all of the information and showing my genuine interest to keep him talking. It was the first time he was being open with me. I had to listen. I just _had _to.

Cato didn't look at me as he swung is sword carelessly at his side, moving the flashlight around in curious examination of the cave walls. "I had no choice but to keep in training. I wanted to make my father proud. Nothing else mattered. I didn't care until I was about eight. One day in training I was assigned a partner. Her name was Clove Malone. Also known as my district partner. She showed me how to have fun with killing. Of course, she had been murdering innocent people since the age of fetus."

At first I thought he was just joking around. Because really, that wouldn't make much sense, would it? But then I realized what it meant. And I didn't really like it. Who would?

"Her mom died giving birth to her. Not that she was happy about it. I think she just thought of it as a sign. That killing was what she was supposed to do with her life. Well, anyways. With Clove's guide, I committed my first murder at the age of nine. It was a rush. Made me feel... powerful. Like I was stronger. Better. Of course, I was a weakling then, but still. I don't know. Ever since then I put in more hours. Training became my way of life. I got up at 4:00 every morning to get to the Academy first, and weight trained till 6:00 AM. After that, everything would be me and my sword."

Suddenly the ground gave way, and I was laying underneath the grounds I was originally on. Groaning, I sit up, rubbing my head. Hopefully nothing happened to it. The last thing I need is to black out again.

"Katniss?" Cato peers over the gaping hole in the ground, shining his flashlight down at me. "You okay?"

I nod, picking up my own flashlight and getting to my feet. "I'm good."

Shuffling on the rocks and loud sounds of rubble falling indicated that he was coming down to investigate. After all, there had to be a reason for there to be an empty space beneath the cave. What a weird arena. I swear. There is nothing I want more than to get out of here right now. I just want out. But right now, there's nothing much I can do about it, seeing as how I'm trapped in a freaking _cave. _

I jump down from the pile of rocks I so painfully landed on, looking around curiously. It definitely wasn't like the other cave. Not at all. It was circular. Actually, it was a perfect circle. The ground, as it is supposed to be, is all stone, but the wall was completely made of dirt. Solid packed dirt, but dirt nonetheless. My eyes widen, scanning the area in complete awe. And judging my Cato's silence, I'll bet he feels the same.

"Where-" I stutter, running my hand along the dirt walls. "Where are we?"

As always, Cato answers sarcastically. "An arena."

"Thanks. I didn't know-"

Cato cuts me off, walking to the center of the area with his flashlight focused on something that looked a little out of place. "Katniss, look."

There was a long, thick box sitting nonchalantly on a rocky pedestal, a little suspicious if you ask me. If I were the one who saw it first, I wouldn't touch it. But Cato being the first to spot the box, he would investigate. Of course. I mean, there could be something dangerous in there. What if it is some kind of mutant spider, and we will die because there's no way out of this place. There is a large possibility that that is the case. Seriously. This is the Capitol we are talking about. They always have some crazy scheme in action.

Before I could object, Cato's large, callused hands were lifting the lid of the box. Because his back was turned, I couldn't quite see the expression on his face. But his silence meant something important was in there. Whether is was good or bad. It meant something will happen to change our plans of getting out of here.

* * *

**Cato POV**

The lid was heavy. A little too heavy if you ask me. Probably because it was trying to keep something in. Something huge. But come on. It wouldn't be anything I can't handle. I'm practically unstoppable, as everyone knows.

Not to brag but... it's true.

After all, I haven't gotten a single scratch this entire time. Not one. I haven't even been the slightest bit hungry. Not one bit. Well... that's actually because we have loads of food. I don't think we'll run out any time soon. The problem is, Clove had most of the food with her. Dang. I guess soon I'll know what hunger feels like.

Anyways. The lid eventually came off, of course. And what was inside completely shocked me. It definitely was not what I had expected, but I wasn't objecting. The contents of the box were all too valuable. Before I knew it, my hand was inside the cold metal box and wrapped around the grip of an arched shape, with a thick wire connecting the two ends.

A bow, better than any I had ever seen was one item that I found. Along with it came a quiver of arrows, with a steel point and iron shaft. The Gamemakers must really want Katniss to succeed. Or... they're following the plan me and the other Careers had all along. Giving her hope, then ripping it away. But something made me fickle about that. I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. Shouldn't everyone get a sure chance of winning?

Turning around, I hold the bow and quiver out to the brunette with deep grey irises. "I believe these belong to you."

I couldn't help but grin as I see her face light up, snatching up the weapon excitedly. It was obvious that she was also surprised that it was given to her, but of course she was ecstatic to have a new bow in her possession.

"Cato... this is steel... the strongest metal there is! You know how much damage this could do?"

"A lot?" Chuckling, I turn back to the box to see what else was in it. Although, I had a pretty good idea. But another hand grabbed the handle before I could. Katniss lifted it up, a smile still on her face as she looked it over. I couldn't believe how excited she was about it. And I have to say... seeing her smiling lifted a huge weight off of my chest. Like all of the sudden I was drifting through the air... weightless.

Wait. What am I talking about? That's not okay, Tenae. Not okay.

But I couldn't stop smiling as I watched her twirl the steel sword around as if she was the best swordsman in Panem. It was... entertaining. In a way. However, being the serious one in the pair, she regained her composure quickly.

"I'm sure you'll use this well..." She handed the sword over to me, nodding slightly.

"Thank-" I was cut off be the ear splitting sound of rock skidding against rock as the pedestal lowered into the ground. "What's going on?"

My hand tightened around the grip of my sword, shining my flashlight around the small area. It was silent for quite some time. As if something was about to happen and both of us knew about it. But we didn't. At least, we didn't know what exactly was going to happen. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Glancing over, I caught sight of Katniss' silhouette, and almost lost it. Her dark brown braid had fallen onto her back, exposing her delicate jaw structure and her slender neck. I could just make out a tiny glint in her eyes as she scanned the area, probably a reflection from the light of my flashlight. She had an arrow strung into her new bow, prepared for battle if something was to jump at us. And for some reason, she looked... different.

Gulping, I averted my gaze from her, reminding myself that I came into the Games to win. Not to die for some girl. That's not how this works. That's not how _I_ work. And I wouldn't allow this.

Then, light burst into the cave, and the sound of rock on rock returned. For the first time in what seemed like days, I could see the sunlight. And man, it was great. The darkness of the cave disappeared, and I could see again. But the quickness of the light damaged my eyes a little. I'll be seeing spots for a while.

Katniss emitted a sigh of relief, loosening her grip on her bow and racing out of the cave as fast as she could. I followed suit, lowering my own weapon and stepping onto the grass for the first time in a long time. Taking in a breath, I could smell the pollen in the air, the scent of dew on the fresh green grass. It was like I had never been outside before. I felt so... free. It was about time.

The sun beat down on my back, and it actually felt good to be out in blistering heat. I mean, I could use some water right about now, but still. It felt pretty good.

Soon we were walking again. But this time, I could actually see where I was going. It was pretty awesome. As for Katniss, I could really tell she missed the outdoors. The entire time she was closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, she was running her hands along tree trunks as we walked. Sometimes she would even sit down and talk to the plants. It was a little strange at first, but then she told me of how her father sit with her and talk to the flowers outside their house. How it is said that talking to them and singing to them helped them grow.

After a while, I began to sit with her instead of leaning against a tree a few feet away. But I wouldn't talk to the plants. No no. I wasn't into that stuff. But I couldn't tell Katniss she wasn't allowed to. Even if she was my enemy. It was at least nice to give my ally the chance to enjoy something in the arena. After all, there isn't really anything fun about being trapped with a bunch of kids that want to kill you.

At least, that's probably what she feels like. Because no one wants to even come close to me. Which kind of sucks because it beats the purpose of killing. I kind of need to see the others tributes in order to terminate them.

"Hey, look!" Katniss pointed through the trees in front of us, looking from me to the area of which she had spotted. "The lake! We're back at the Cornucopia."

"Good," I stated with a slight huff. "Maybe Clove and Marvel are waiting for us there."

Although, that probably wasn't why Katniss was excited about it. Because when we reached the clearing, she threw down her bow and arrows and tore off her jacket, running hastily towards the lake. Well... someone was hot. 4

As in... the temperature, that is.

I have to admit. Katniss is kind of entertaining. Much like Clove. Minus the blood thirst. She has a heart. A real one. Not artificial and faked for cameras or whatever. And in some ways, I admire her commitment to her sister. Although she was kind of hard to read, and her emotions were off the chart insane, I considered her a worthy ally.

Man, the things she can do with that bow...

Grinning, I set my sword down and sat against the same boulder I slept on a few nights ago. The one where Katniss and I had our first actual conversation. And of course, I'm already regretting my thinking this. I feel the need to protect her. Get her to the end. Even if I don't really want to, and if it's going against everything I've ever been taught.

Even if I might even have to kill her in the end.

At least she is safe.

For now...

* * *

_**A/N**_

_**Looks like Cato's icy heart is finally thawing! Can't wait to see where it goes. Again, I'm sorry about the shortness. I kinda just wanted to get to the point. Next chapter I will try to make it a bit longer. Okay so, review if you'd like. Also, if you have any suggestions as to what will happen next, please tell me! Thanks for reading!**_

_**~ Charlotte :)**_


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